Police said the carrier fire destroyed six cars. Photos: Hume Police District/Facebook.
Police have said a late-night blaze that destroyed a car carrier and its cargo was likely caused by a mechanical issue.
A spokesperson for the Hume Police District said the car carrier, headed northbound along the Hume Highway, caught fire on Thursday (7 August) near Bowning.
The driver noticed the blaze about 10:55 pm as flames emerged from the second axle.
“Acting quickly, the driver pulled over to the roadside, escaping injury as the blaze rapidly consumed the truck and its cargo,” the spokesperson said.
“The fire destroyed all six vehicles on board.”
The car carrier and its cargo on fire on Thursday night. The driver was uninjured.
The Hume police, NSW Fire and Rescue and several NSW Rural Fire Service crews (from Yass, Bowning, Bookham, Manton and Wallaroo) were called to the scene.
The fire was extinguished by 1:05 am on Friday (8 August), but the incident caused significant traffic disruption.
Tow trucks were used to clear the wreckage, while the Transport Management Centre oversaw vehicular flow until the road reopened.
“All northbound lanes were closed, with traffic diverted through Bowning and Cunningar,” the police spokesperson said.
Several emergency service organisations were needed to control the blaze.
According to the police, the fire was likely caused by a mechanical fault, and no one was injured.
