A 64-year-old man was lucky to escape with only minor injuries after the truck he was driving tipped over on the mad mile on Monday afternoon.
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The 22-tonne truck and trailer loaded with hay was travelling south along the Princes Highway, south of Batemans Bay, at 2.15pm when the driver allegedly lost control going around a right-hand bend.
As the trailer tilted to the left, the driver hit the brakes, which caused the trailer to tip completely over and the vehicle to roll.
It slid for 100m along the guardrail before stopping, almost upside down.
A witness helped the driver escape. He was trapped temporarily between the steering wheel and the dashboard.
The driver was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
Meanwhile, Batemans Bay Fire and Rescue, HAZMAT, police, Ambulance and the Rural Fire Service were called to the chaotic scene.
The southbound lane was closed for several hours while services cleaned up the wreckage.
However, traffic flowed in both directions using two north-bound lanes on that stretch of road.
Batemans Bay Fire and Rescue deputy captain Alan Fitches said when they arrived and realised the driver was safe, they sent their tanker back into town while their HAZMAT crew remained on the scene to clean up a minor engine oil spill.
He said only six to seven litres of engine oil had spilt, which they removed with absorbent material.
The RFS established fire protection procedures and cleaned the hay off the road.
However, when it came time to turn the truck back upright, Mr Fitches said, there was potential danger of up to 500 litres of fuel being spilt.
He said they managed to keep the fuel contained within the truck, and the salvage operation continued.
Police are still investigating the crash.