GOULBURN, Australia — A massive industrial blaze has sent shockwaves through NSW's transport corridor on Monday, June 29, 2026 after seven heavy freight trucks went up in flames at a transport depot south-west of Goulburn. The spectacular overnight inferno triggered multiple explosions, a major hazmat response, and significant traffic disruptions along the Hume Highway.

Emergency services were called to the commercial property, located just off the major interstate freight route, following dozens of panicked triple-zero calls from passing motorists who reported a "wall of fire" visible from kilometers away.

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) deployed multiple pumpers and specialized tankers to the scene. Upon arrival, crews found a row of commercial semi-trailers and B-doubles fully engulfed in roaring flames, with thick black smoke blanketing the highway.

Witnesses reported hearing a series of loud, consecutive explosions as fuel tanks ruptured and heavy-duty tires blew apart in the intense heat.

"The sky was completely lit up orange," said one interstate truck driver who pulled over nearby. "You could feel the heat radiating right through the windscreen from the highway. Then came the pops and bangs as the rigs started going off."

Firefighters faced an uphill battle as the intense heat threatened neighboring structures and fuel storage assets. Crews worked aggressively for over two hours to contain the perimeter, ultimately preventing the fire from jumping to a nearby workshop and dense roadside vegetation.

Because several of the heavy vehicles were loaded with mixed freight, a specialized Hazmat unit was dispatched to monitor air quality and manage toxic runoff from the melting wreckage and firefighting foam.

While the transport depot itself is set back from the main lanes, the sheer scale of the emergency operation forced authorities to close southbound lanes of the Hume Highway for several hours, diverting heavy transport vehicles and early-morning commuters.

Ambulance NSW paramedics attended the scene as a precaution, but miraculously, no injuries to depot staff, drivers, or emergency personnel have been reported.

The cause of the catastrophic blaze remains a mystery. Once the area was declared safe, forensic investigators and the NSW Police Arson Squad established a crime scene to comb through the charred, skeletal remains of the seven transport rigs.

Investigators are currently reviewing security footage from the depot and neighboring businesses to determine if the fire began in a single vehicle due to a mechanical fault—such as a refrigeration unit malfunction—or if the incident is suspicious. The financial toll on the local transport company is expected to run into the millions of dollars.