In a dangerous day on Northern Territory roads, a truck loaded with 50 tonnes of zinc and lead concentrate has overturned near Borroloola, while a road train carrying cattle rolled over near Mataranka.
In Borroloola, 1,000 kilometres south-east of Darwin, the road train was travelling from the McArthur River Mine just after 2.30am on the way to the remote Bing Bong Port turn-off when it hit a bull.
It was the second rollover in the NT today, following a cattle road train overturning about 60km south of Katherine near Mataranka at about 5.30am.
The last two trailers carrying cattle rolled, blocking the highway, and 20 animals were either killed, or injured and will be put down.
The driver was reportedly in shock.
It took emergency services about five hours to clean up and the road was completely blocked until one lane reopened at 8:00am.
The Stuart Highway was fully reopened around 10:00am.
K.J.
-- Edited by kiwijims on Wednesday 14th of December 2016 04:08:13 PM
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From Coast to Coast, We'll see it all.......One Day
without them you wouldn't be travelling anywhere either. No fuel no food. How many cars or caravans rolled over on the same day. Better still Truck accidents down by 87% from 10 years ago. Van accidents up by 37% in last 5 years.
It does make me wonder how the cattle roadtrain, could overturn two of its trailers, after hitting a bull
Perhaps he tried to swerve, and the cattle were thrown to one side of the trailers, with the bull going under the opposite wheels
if I read it correctly the one with cattle onboard an two trailers laying on side had nothing to do with hitting a bull
that is how trucks sleep laying on their side like that
Thanks for pointing out that it was indeed the roadtrain carting the zinc and lead concentrates, which hit the bull and overturned This is even more baffling as it would have a lower centre of gravity than the road train carting the cattle
All is not lost, I made that mistake yesterday which does not count among the mistakes I may or not make today, so far today, all is good
Tongue in cheek that is how trucks sleep laying on their side like that
