A B-double fuel tanker rolled on the Princes Freeway near Darnum in West Gippsland on Saturday morning, killing the driver and spilling fuel onto the road and nearby bushland. Eastbound lanes were closed, detours were advised and V/Line replaced trains with coaches between Warragul and Traralgon.
A fuel tanker rollover near Darnum in West Gippsland killed the truck driver and disrupted road and rail travel on Saturday morning.
The B-double crashed on the Princes Freeway just before 6.30am on June 20, 2026, in what police described as a complex scene. The driver was the vehicle's sole occupant and died at the scene.
Fuel spilled onto the road and nearby bushland after the tanker left the freeway, hit cable fencing, separated from its trailers and tipped onto its side after striking trees.
Road closure and emergency response
Victoria Police said the cause of the crash was not yet known and the investigation was continuing.
The Country Fire Authority said the spill released hazardous fumes, but there was no threat to the broader environment or the community.
All eastbound lanes of the Princes Freeway were closed between Darnum and Yarragon, with detours advised via Warragul, Korumburra and Leongatha.
Rail delays on the Gippsland line
The crash also affected V/Line passengers.
Services between Warragul and Traralgon were replaced with coaches, adding about 90 minutes to journey times. Passengers bound for Bairnsdale were told to use replacement coaches between Warragul and Traralgon.
Darnum is about 110 kilometres east of Melbourne and sits on a key freight and passenger corridor through Gippsland. Further updates on reopening times and the police investigation were expected later.
Revision note
Initial automated publication.