A 35-year-old man from Orange is in a serious condition in Westmead Hospital after an accident with a truck late on Saturday night in Katoomba.
Emergency services were called to the intersection of the Great Western Highway and Explorers Road, at Katoomba about 11.30pm, following reports a semi-trailer and car had collided and caught alight. The fire was also spreading into bushland.
Blue Mountains Police Inspector Peter Scheinflug said the man from Orange was trapped in his Toyota Camry for about an hour before he was freed by emergency services. He was taken by helicopter to Westmead Hospital in a critical condition.
Insp Scheinflug said it appeared the man’s car had gone on the incorrect side of the road and hit the offside of the truck, ripping open the fuel tank in passing, which started the fire.
The 34-year-old truck driver from Dubbo was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
Then, at 2.30am, police caught two men street racing in the vicinity of the collision site.
Insp Scheinflug said the men were headed from Medlow Bath towards Katoomba.
Both were breath-tested and were over the limit. A 35-year-old Leura man and a 33-year-old Medlow Bath man were charged with mid-range PCA. They had their licences suspended and will appear before Katoomba Court on October 15.
