### Hundreds of Vehicles Left Stranded with Flat Tyres After Metal Spillage on Major Highway

Sat Oct 18 2025 23:56:51 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

#### A truck's mishap leads to widespread disruptions as authorities scramble to clear sharp debris from the roadway.

#### An incident on a busy Australian highway resulted in hundreds of flat tyres, a lengthy closure, and ongoing clean-up efforts after a truck spilled a large quantity of sharp metal shards.

Hundreds of cars were rendered unusable due to flat tyres after a truck lost a significant payload of sharp metal shards while traveling on one of Australia’s busiest highways. The incident unfolded on the M1 Pacific Motorway near Ourimbah, located to the north of Sydney, where a truck spilled approximately 750kg (1,653lb) of scrap metal on the road.

Authorities have reported that the truck continued its journey for 30km (about 18 miles) before the spillage was realized, creating a hazardous situation that led to the closure of city-bound lanes for hours on Friday. Around 300 vehicles suffered tyre damage due to the debris, with some emergency vehicles also affected, according to the New South Wales Rural Fire Service.

Emergency response efforts began shortly after the incident was reported around 5 am, with officials emphasizing that the clean-up involved more than just traditional road-sweeping methods. State highway patrol commander Howard Collins indicated that magnets were being deployed to effectively attract and gather the metal remnants embedded in the roadway.

New South Wales state authorities confirmed that the motorway was fully reopened after approximately 10 hours of closure, but not before the incident garnered significant attention from the public and media. NJ Ashton, the trucking company involved, expressed regret for the incident and announced they were co-operating fully with the clean-up efforts.

Despite apologies issued by the trucking company, officials remain puzzled about how the load was lost and are continuing to investigate. The state roads minister, Jenny Aitchison, described the situation as "unprecedented," recalling the unusual challenges faced while attempting to clear the highway of sharp debris.

Collins highlighted the complications involved in extracting the metal, likening the task to "hoovering up the highway," a process requiring specialized equipment and time. Meanwhile, the truck driver, a 46-year-old individual, is reportedly cooperating with ongoing inquiries related to the incident.