South Coast Highway: Two men involved in smash flown to Perth with serious injuries

A man is fighting for his life, and another is in a stable condition after they were flown to Perth with serious injuries sustained in Friday’s horror crash on South Coast Highway. One of the men climbed out of the burning cab of his rolled grain truck just moments before it was too late. The other was helped by first responders and then emergency services before he was freed from his wrecked vehicle and rushed to hospital. Police say that about 3.30pm a road train and Toyota HiAce van collided head-on near the Kalgan River Upper Bridge between the intersections of Wheeldon and Hunton roads on South Coast Highway. The truck rolled as a result of the impact, with the truck bursting into flames just moments after coming to a stop. Bystanders rushed to the aid of the two drivers before emergency services arrived. A Royal Perth Hospital spokeswoman confirmed on Monday that the 56-year-old male, who was driving the van, was in a critical condition in the intensive care unit. The 38-year-old male driver of the truck was in stable condition at RPH on Monday. The driver of the van was taken under priority conditions by St John WA to Albany Health Campus for surgery on serious injuries before he was flown to Perth by the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Major crash officers attended the scene to assist local traffic police with the investigations. The crash left grain spilt across both lanes of the highway and triggered a bushfire advice warning for more than 30 minutes. South Coast Highway remained closed as the clean-up and police investigations continued, reopening on Sunday. Six firefighting crews attended, and hydraulic tools were used to free the man from the van by 4:30pm. The fire was extinguished by 4.52pm and the scene was made safe by 5.28pm.