The Hume Freeway is closed in both directions near Violet Town after a multi-vehicle crash this Friday afternoon, with emergency crews still working the scene.
Five people — including two children — have been rushed to hospital, and police have shut down a large section of the highway about 150 kilometres north-east of Melbourne. The incident involved a B-double truck that tows two semi-trailers, and it happened around 1.30pm near Violet Town.
According to police, the B-double collided with “numerous vehicles” in the area, forcing the major arterial to stop entirely for traffic traveling both north and south. “The Hume Highway is currently closed in both north- and south-bound lanes near Violet Town,” police advised.
On the medical side, an Ambulance Victoria spokesperson said two adults and two children were being taken by ambulance to Northeast Health Wangaratta. Another adult was being taken to Goulburn Valley Health in Shepparton. From what people reported near the scene, it wasn’t just the sight of the truck that stood out — there was the smell of smoke hanging around for a while, and then the constant movement of ambulances, firefighters, and other responders.
Aerial vision from the scene shows the semi-trailer lying on its side in the scrub just off the freeway. Witness Leslie told ABC Radio Melbourne it appeared the B-double struck one vehicle before it allegedly crossed the median strip and fell over, possibly hitting other vehicles in the process.
Leslie described it as “pretty scary” because, from where they passed, it wasn’t immediately obvious how the truck could cross the freeway without more harm. “There was a lot of smoke,” she said, adding that when they went past there were a lot of ambulances and fireys, plus SES and other helpers.
Meanwhile, Transport Victoria’s Chris Miller said it appeared unlikely the freeway would reopen until the evening. Drivers heading north should exit the Hume Freeway at Shepparton and rejoin via the Midland Highway, at Benalla — a detour that extends the usual trip by 35 kilometres. Drivers heading south should take a 14-kilometre detour at Violet Town and use the Murchison-Violet Town Road through Meipoll onto the Goulburn Valley Highway, before re-joining the Hume Freeway at Shepparton. And yeah, there’s a lot of “more to come” energy around this one… but for now, the closure is still the main story.
Stephen Miller nearly says “final solution” in Iran remarks
Narungga votes missing grow One Nation margin
With Swalwell Out, Who Will Bay Area Voters Back in CA Gov Race?