‘Absolute miracle’: Commuters escape injury in horror freeway crash

ABC
Jul 25, 2019, updated Jul 25, 2019

Emergency services expected the worst when the multivehicle pile-up happened just before 7.30am. Photo: ABC

Melbourne motorists are facing significant delays, with the Monash Freeway closed inbound after a crash involving two trucks and five cars on Thursday morning.

Aerial footage shows two crushed cars and another car wedged between two trucks near Forster Road, at Notting Hill.

Remarkably, Victoria Police said no one was seriously injured in the crash, which happened just before 7.30am.

Ambulance Victoria said paramedics had taken two people to Monash Medical Centre with minor injuries, and another person to The Alfred hospital in a stable condition.

Traffic Management Centre spokesman Brad Arnoldt said it was “an absolute miracle” no one was seriously hurt.

“When we turned on the CCTV to have a look at this one we all immediately in the TMC here thought the absolute worst, that something tragic has happened,” he told ABC Radio Melbourne.

“But with two people with minor injuries, an absolute miracle, but traffic-wise it is very, very slow going.”

He said it was expected to take a couple of hours to clean up.

“There’s a massive clean-up that’s underway, trying to extract those cars from in and around and underneath those trucks,” he said.

A crash involving two trucks and four cars has closed part of Melbourne's Monash Freeway this morning.

But incredibly, police say no-one was seriously hurt.

Three people have been taken to hospital, two with minor injuries and the third is in a stable condition. pic.twitter.com/cs8h2x7FXJ

— News Breakfast (@BreakfastNews) July 24, 2019

VicRoads said drivers travelling towards the city should exit the freeway as soon as possible and use the Princes Highway and Dandenong Road as an alternative.

Traffic was being diverted onto the Forster Road inbound exit ramp.

Engineers were monitoring conditions and would adjust traffic signals as needed to keep vehicles moving in the area, VicRoads said.

Earlier, the West Gate Freeway was closed inbound after a fatal crash.

The freeway reopened just before 6am.

Anyone with information about either crash is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.