14 Jul 2017

Hazardous materials truck fire prompts evacuation

2:25 pm on 14 July 2017

A truck fire involving hazardous material that's closed the main route between Picton and Christchurch is still smouldering, keeping the road shut.

Emergency services were alerted to the fire west of Hanmer Springs on State Highway 7 near the Boyle River just after 8am.

Boyle village was evacuated as a precaution after the truck's trailer unit caught fire.

Grant Nossiter supplied these images to the Hurunui District Council.

Grant Nossiter supplied these images to the Hurunui District Council of smoke from the truck crash. Photo: Screenshot / Hurunui District Council / Grant Nossiter

The Fire Service said the blaze had been put out and there were no reports of injuries.

However, one of the containers on the truck was still smouldering, a Fire Service spokesperson said, and extra fire retardant has been brought in.

The spokesperson said the container was blocking parts of the road, and they were not sure when the highway would be able to reopen.

They said it was still unclear what caused the fire.

The route, Lewis Pass SH7 through Hanmer Springs and Springs Junction, has become the main road between Picton and Christchurch after the Kaikōura earthquake closed the SH1 coastal route.

The Lewis Pass is closed because of the crash.

The Lewis Pass is closed because of the crash. Photo: Screenshot / GoogleMaps

A hazardous materials team had been called in, the Transport Agency said.

The Fire Service said it had identified the hazardous material, but could not release any further details.

Emergency services would decide how to move the truck so they could re-open the highway.