Tanker flips upside down in downtown Dunedin

The driver of a sump cleaner truck which flipped upside down near the King Edward Technical College building on Stuart St today is a "very lucky man".

Emergency services are swarming around the scene where the wrecked Intergroup truck crashed and ended upside down.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand Dunedin Senior Station Officer Kerry McNamara said the driver of the truck was now in the care of St John, but appeared to have minor injuries.

"He's a very lucky man."

No-one else was hurt, he said.

A man who saw the crash said it appeared the driver "lost control of the vehicle" as he was driving down Stuart St.

He was honking and trying to warn other cars, he said.

It was spectacular, he said.

"I think the truck was well and truly gone before it got down there."

There is dirty water and debris scattered about the scene.

Two other cars have been damaged in the crash.

The area around the crash has been cordoned off.

Emergency services were called about 11.15am and traffic is being diverted away from the accident.

A police media spokeswoman said there was an oil spill on Stuart St from the crash.