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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/feb/13/bloomsbury-queensland-truck-crash-rollover-chemical-spill-bruce-highway-closed-evacuations
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Queensland truck crash: police evacuate 5km exclusion zone after explosive chemical spill | Queensland truck crash: police evacuate 5km exclusion zone after explosive chemical spill |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Ammonium nitrate found leaking on to road at Bloomsbury, causing evacuations and closure of Bruce Highway in both directions | Ammonium nitrate found leaking on to road at Bloomsbury, causing evacuations and closure of Bruce Highway in both directions |
| There’s no timeline for when residents will be allowed to return home after the rollover of a truck carrying explosive chemicals in Queensland. | |
| The Bruce Highway has been blocked in both directions at Bloomsbury, north of Mackay in Queensland, after the spillage of ammonium nitrate, a common fertiliser that can explode in the wrong conditions. | |
| Police set up a 5km exclusion zone around the area, and orderedresidents to leave. | |
| A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokesperson said fire crews were waiting for cleanup workers to arrive, but there was no timeframe yet for when they would be finished. | |
| The chemical spill is contained. | The chemical spill is contained. |
| “It’s looking like it will be a protracted incident,” the spokesperson said. | “It’s looking like it will be a protracted incident,” the spokesperson said. |
| Earlier, a QFES spokesperson said an explosion was their number one concern. | Earlier, a QFES spokesperson said an explosion was their number one concern. |
| Firefighters were called to the scene about 11.30am to reports a truck had rolled over, the spokesperson said. They arrived to find the ammonium nitrate leaking on to the road. | Firefighters were called to the scene about 11.30am to reports a truck had rolled over, the spokesperson said. They arrived to find the ammonium nitrate leaking on to the road. |
| Five QFES crews were initially dispatched, but two have since left. | Five QFES crews were initially dispatched, but two have since left. |
| Queensland police made an emergency declaration under the public safety preservation act and evacuated properties along Staffords, Campbells, Caping and O’Donnells roads. | |
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| Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup | Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup |
| Motorists have been urged to avoid the area or expect significant delays. | Motorists have been urged to avoid the area or expect significant delays. |
| A Queensland ambulance service spokesperson said the male truck driver was not seriously injured in the crash. | |
| In 2014, the explosion of a truck laden with ammonium nitrate south of Charleville in western Queensland blew a major road in half, wrecked a rail bridge and destroyed multiple vehicles. | In 2014, the explosion of a truck laden with ammonium nitrate south of Charleville in western Queensland blew a major road in half, wrecked a rail bridge and destroyed multiple vehicles. |
| The size of the explosion was estimated to be the equivalent of 10-15 tonnes of TNT. | The size of the explosion was estimated to be the equivalent of 10-15 tonnes of TNT. |
| Eight people were injured in the explosion. | Eight people were injured in the explosion. |