Two people remain on the run after crashing a stolen car into the back of a truck, which then erupted in flames and closed the Logan Motorway, police say.
Emergency services were called to the motorway near Kingston Road at around 8.15pm on Tuesday 22 October.
“Initial investigations indicate an Audi S5 collided with the back of the truck,” police said in a statement.
“The truck continued to travel a few hundred metres before the truck ignited and became fully engulfed.
“The two occupants of the Audi then left the scene in an unknown direction.”
The truck driver, a man in his 50s, was taken to Logan Hospital with minor injuries in a stable condition, according to the Queensland Ambulance Service.
The truck was reportedly carrying pesticides and lithium-ion batteries, as well as non-hazardous materials.
Potentially hazardous smoke from the truck prompted police to establish an exclusion zone, which stretched from Kingston to Loganlea until the following morning.
“Diversions are in place eastbound on the Logan Motorway and westbound lanes are now open,” police said at the time.
“Motorists and members of the public are advised to avoid the area, and those within the exclusion zone are asked to remain indoors and close their windows until further notice.”
Police have so far tracked the theft of the Audi to two other crashes on Monday.
According to police, the two occupants of the Audi were travelling in a Ford Fiesta earlier in the day before it crashed into a white Mazda 3 at Eastern Heights.
The Mazda was then stolen, and subsequently crashed into the Audi A3 at Durack.
Acting inspector of the Logan district, Adam Cordner said the truck driver was lucky he wasn’t more severely injured.
“The blaze was significant and quite intense… so it’s very fortunate that the truck driver wasn’t injured,” he said.
“And also very fortunate that we have had no reports of other injuries.”
Mr Cordner said he was “hopeful” for arrests in relation to the incident.
More to come.
