Crashed truck spills fuel into Lake Taupo

A truck has crashed into Lake Taupo this morning, spilling its fuel tank into the water.

The driver of the truck escaped uninjured, when the vehicle went off State Highway 1 at Bulli Point, between Taupo and Turangi, and crashed down a bank into the lake after 6am.

No other vehicle was involved in the crash, northern fire communications shift manager Scott Osmond said.

The truck, which was transporting a load of timber, did not have any hazardous material on board, but it's fuel tank had spilled 350 litres of diesel into Lake Taupo, he said.

Bulli Point is a popular local swimming and cliff diving spot.

It was likely to be a "significant" salvage operation, Mr Osmond said.

Workers had begun recovery attempts and traffic was expected to be delayed for some time, police said.

Motorists are advised to avoid using the stretch of road close to the crash site, around 5 kilometres on the Taupo side of Hatepe, until the truck and trailer unit has been pulled from the lake.

 

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