this morning a catastrophic accident has brought a major stretch of queensland's Bruce highway to a standstill the highway a crucial Corridor connecting northern and southern Queensland has been closed following a severe collision and subsequent explosion involving a truck loaded with ammonium nitrate the incident occurred around 5:00 a.m. near borin approximately 4 400 km north of Brisbane initial reports indicate that a ute and a Truck carrying hazardous ammonium nitrate were involved in a collision the impact of the crash led to a massive explosion that was reportedly heard from over 50 km away creating a dangerous situation for those in the vicinity the explosion resulted in a significant chemical spill prompting immediate emergency responses the Queensland ambulance service has confirmed that the truck driver sustained multiple severe injuries including to his abdomen legs pelvis head and arms the driver of the Ute is in critical condition with the full extent of injuries and the number of occupants still unclear authorities have issued an emergency alert advising residents within a 2.5 km radius of the crash site to evacuate immediately for those unable to leave Queensland police recommend and Sheltering indoors closing windows and doors and turning off air conditioning systems to minimize exposure to potentially hazardous fumes the scene of the explosion visible for Miles has led to a dangerous cloud of smoke adding to the complexity of the emergency response the Bruce Highway a vital route for transportation and commerce is expected to remain closed for an extended period emergency services including more than five fire crews are actively working to manage the Blaze and clean up the chemical spill detours are now in place for travelers Northbound traffic is advised to detour at Childers while southbound traffic should detour at kopy Crossroads connecting through baoa and Monto Blackman's Gap Road remains open to local traffic only Gladstone mayor Matt Bernett has highlighted the alternative routs available noting the significant disruptions caused by the incident social media has been flooded with images of the explosions aftermath including dramatic plumes of smoke and fire which have further compounded the challenges faced by First Responders this incident underscores the critical need for road safety and preparedness for hazardous material incidents as the emergency situation continues to unfold local authorities are working tirelessly to ensure safety and restore normaly to the the bru Highway stay subscribed for more videos