Multi-vehicle crash involving a B-double truck closes Hume Freeway near Violet Town, Victoria
Consensus Summary
A multi-vehicle crash involving a B-double truck closed the Hume Freeway in both directions near Violet Town, Victoria, on April 17, 2026, around 1:25–1:30 PM. Five people, including two children, were injured and taken to hospitals in Wangaratta and Shepparton, while emergency services including CFA, Victoria Police, and Ambulance Victoria responded to the scene. The truck ended up on its side in the scrub beside the freeway, and motorists were directed to lengthy detours via Seymour and the Goulburn Valley Highway. Witnesses described the aftermath as chaotic, with significant smoke and multiple emergency vehicles present. Authorities expected the freeway to remain closed until the evening, extending travel times for affected drivers.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- The Hume Freeway was closed in both directions near Violet Town, Victoria, after a multi-vehicle crash involving a B-double truck.
- Five people were taken to hospital following the crash: two adults and two children to Northeast Health Wangaratta, and one adult to Goulburn Valley Health in Shepparton.
- The crash occurred on Friday, April 17, 2026, around 1:25–1:30 PM near Violet Town, approximately 150–180 km northeast of Melbourne.
- Emergency services responding included the Country Fire Authority (CFA), Victoria Police, State Emergency Service (SES), Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV), and Ambulance Victoria.
- Northbound motorists were advised to detour via the Goulburn Valley Highway at Seymour, while southbound motorists were instructed to exit at Violet Town and use Murchison-Violet Town Road to rejoin the Hume Freeway at Seymour.
- The B-double truck was involved in a collision with 'numerous vehicles' and ended up lying on its side in the scrub beside the freeway.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Six CFA crews attended the scene after reports of the crash just before 1:30 PM.
- VicTraffic advised southbound motorists to exit at Violet Town and detour via Murchison-Violet Town Road and the Goulburn Valley Highway.
- A witness named Leslie reported seeing the truck strike one vehicle before crossing the median strip and potentially hitting others, with significant smoke and emergency response.
- Transport Victoria’s Chris Miller stated the freeway was unlikely to reopen until the evening, with northbound detours extending the trip by 35 km and southbound detours by 14 km.
- The truck rolled onto its side after the collision, and 9News captured aerial footage of the scene.
- The man taken to Goulburn Valley Health was described as being in his 50s with minor injuries.
Where the reporting differs
Details that conflict, or appear in only some outlets:
- The time of the crash is reported as 1:25 PM by NEWSCOMAU, but ABC and THEAGE state it occurred just before 1:30 PM.
- THEAGE and NEWSCOMAU describe the crash location as 150–180 km northeast of Melbourne, while ABC does not specify the distance.
Source Articles
Breaking: Multiple people in hospital after truck crash closes Hume Freeway
The Hume Freeway is closed in both directions following a multi-vehicle crash near Violet Town.
Five injured, Hume Freeway closed in major multi-vehicle crash in central Victoria
A B-double truck and several other vehicles have collided, with police and emergency services on the scene.
Major highway shut after truck rolls, crashes
A major regional Victorian highway has been closed in both directions after a truck rolled and crashed, sparking traffic chaos.
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