Eight people, including four firefighters and a police officer, have been injured in a truck explosion in outback Queensland.

Emergency crews were called to a truck rollover on the Mitchell Highway, about 30km south of Charleville in Queensland’s southwest, about 9.30pm (AEST) on Friday.

But the truck, carrying about 50 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, exploded after crews arrived, injuring eight people.

The male truck driver sustained serious, but not life-threatening, injuries and was airlifted to Brisbane.

A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) spokesman said two of the four injured firefighters were still recovering in hospital after the incident.

The police officer, the two other firefighters and two men who witnessed the crash all received minor injuries and were taken to Charleville Hospital for treatment.

“The fire appliances in attendance sustained extensive damage due to the explosion,” the QFES spokesman said.

“QFES will continue to monitor the situation as the incident is expected to be protracted for a couple of days.”