16 Apr 2013

Residents evacuated from truck crash

1:58 pm on 16 April 2013

The police in Bay of Plenty say State Highway Two has reopened, following a truck crash south of Katikati in the early hours of this morning.

A number of residents had to be evacuated from their homes after the truck, carrying hazardous substances, crashed on State Highway Two at Apata about eight kilometres south of Katikati.

The truck - which was carrying cylinders including acetylene, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and oxygen - rolled, completely blocking the highway for several hours. There was no detour and motorists were told to travel to Tauranga via Matamata.

The truck driver and a passenger sustained minor injuries.