TWO truck trailers have been gutted, a separate prime mover burnt out and two other heavy vehicles damaged on the Hume Highway.
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A truck driver detached his two trailers after being alerted that one was on fire, and tried to extinguish the blaze.
He saved the prime mover from being burnt, but the trailers were destroyed.
The driver, 27, was not hurt during the incident.
The trailers had been packed with electrical goods and mixed food items, which had to be removed from the scene during an extensive clean up.
A second incident occurred about 9.50pm when an oncoming heavy vehicle failed to notice the crash scene.
The vehicle crashed into the side of two other trucks and ended up tipping over into a table drain and also caught alight.
The driver managed to free himself from the cabin as it went up in flames.
He received a cut forehead and was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
The drivers of the two struck vehicles were not injured.
Police are investigating the cause of the crash.
Sergeant Nick Fahy of the Albury Highway Patrol said both the north and southbound lanes had to be be closed.
He said the first incident was considered non-suspicious.
“Enquiries would indicate that at this stage, mechanical fault may be the cause of the fire,” he said.
The driver had been alerted to the blaze by another truckie, Sergeant Fahy said.
“He attempted to extinguish the fire on one of the trailers,” he said.
“He was unable to do so.
“By the time of police arrival both trailers were engulfed by flames.”
Traffic returned to normal by Wednesday afternoon.
The 26-year-old's red Holden Commodore left the road and hit a tree near Rankins Lane, leaving him trapped inside.
He was freed and flown to hospital in Canberra.