A truck driver will be charged over a highway crash near Goulburn which resulted in his and five other semitrailers going up in flames.
The northbound Hume Highway crash at Breadalbane at 5am on Tuesday, June 30 sparked a major emergency services response and the thoroughfare's closure in both directions until 7pm.
Acting Inspector Vlad Mijok said it appeared a truck driver was entering the Windmills rest area for a break when another semi-trailer travelling behind collided with the vehicle's rear. The impact "shunted" four other trucks in the rest area into each other, causing a fire which destroyed all six vehicles.
On Wednesday, July 1, Acting Inspector Mijok said the 28-year-old driver who allegedly collided with the truck's rear would be served with a future court attendance notice for negligent driving not occasioning death or grievous bodily harm.
The man, from Wollert, Victoria, and another 23-year-old driver were taken to Goulburn Base Hospital for mandatory blood and alcohol testing. Acting Inspector Mijok said results were pending but police would allege the 28-year-old wasn't paying attention to the road when the collision occurred.
He told media on June 30 that it was "nothing short of a miracle" that all drivers survived. Paramedics treated them for minor injuries at the scene but didn't require hospitalisation.
Three of the other drivers were from Victoria, one from South Australia and one from St Marys in NSW.
Police are appealing for footage of or witnesses to the crash.
About 120 firefighters from the RFS, Fire and Rescue NSW and ACT Fire and Rescue battled the blaze. Fire and Rescue NSW Inspector Jason Murphy said it was fuelled by the trucks' cargo including gas cannisters, butane, 38,000 litres of mixed alcohol drinks, memory foam mattresses and resin.
Specialist Hazmat (hazardous materials) resources from Sydney and the ACT and a drone checked air toxins and the trucks' cargo. Inspector Murphy said this informed firefighting needs.
The burning memory foam emitted cyanide, requiring breathing apparatus and a stringent decontamination regime. Firefighters in breathing apparatus were regularly rotated.
"As it evolved, we discovered more loads like dog food and rice...Everything burnt so we had to look at different ways to combat it. It's not just a matter of putting the wet stuff on the hot stuff. It was a mammoth task," Inspector Murphy said.
"...We put a lot of work into attacking it, hence why we got it out within five hours."
EPA officers also attended the site on June 30 and July 1. Inspector Murphy said a Hazmat team contained run-off during firefighting, preventing harm to nearby waterways and private land. However, EPA officers would take soil and water samples to check this. If contamination occurred, the trucking companies' insurers would have to "make good."
A 300-metre exclusion zone was imposed for people's safety. Inspector Murphy said there were toxins in any smoke but the fire's more remote location minimised potential harm. Nearby residents were advised to close windows and doors. The EPA was also undertaking air quality sampling.
An EPA spokesperson said officers monitored the July 1 clean-up and provided advice on potential environmental impacts.
"Firefighting foam was used to extinguish the fire, and runoff was contained by booms which prevented firewater from reaching local waterways," the spokesperson said.
The trucks were fully extinguished by about 4pm and crews left the scene shortly after 5pm.
Transport for NSW took charge of traffic management, the salvage and clean-up. This continued on Wednesday.
Acting Inspector Mijok said the salvage would take time given the extent of damage to the trucks.
RFS Southern Tablelands district manager, Krystaal Hinds, paid tribute to volunteers. Gunning brigade confronted an "inferno" as they arrived first on scene. Ms Hinds was also there early as the on-call officer.
Personnel firstly located the truck drivers and then tackled the blaze from a safe distance. Goulburn Fire and Rescue crews arrived quickly on scene. Ultimately, RFS had 21 appliances on scene and 60 to 80 firefighters.
"They did a phenomenal job," she said.
