Evacuated Waimauku residents return home after truck carrying LPG crashes

Residents have returned to homes after a truck carrying nearly 200 LPG gas cylinders rolled northwest of Auckland today.

The crash happened on State Highway 16 at Waimauku just after 8am.

The Fire Service said the large truck and trailer was carrying 192 LPG cylinders and was on its side across the road. Residents living near the crash were evacuated from their houses.

Police said the northbound lane of the highway was blocked but the upturned truck has now been towed from the scene.

The driver was not injured.

The Fire Service said because of the dangerous nature of the truck's cargo nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution.

Mike Brown, yard manager at the nearby Waimauku Landscape Supplies business, said: "I just heard a truck going up the hill, probably a little faster than normal. Next second, all I hear is a slide and then bang - a crash.

"I just thought: 'Oh sh*t, here we go again'.''

Brown said a truck and trailer crashed in the same spot about two weeks ago.

He said the driver in this morning's crash got out of the truck and Brown called emergency services.

"The ambulance turned up and then they quickly just left, so I'm guessing the driver was fine.''

A truck has rolled north of Muriwai Rd on SH16 blocking lanes. Avoid the area or delay your trip ^LT https://t.co/VkE9RZYL2c pic.twitter.com/ilW78ZVNTH

— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) December 27, 2016