Two die on Bruce Highway

TWO women died in a horror two-car collision on the Bruce Highway north of Townsville yesterday.

The crash happened about 300m south of the turnoff to Jourama Falls about 5pm.

Police last night confirmed two women, understood to be from North Queensland, died at the scene.

Townsville Police Duty District Officer Senior Sergeant Guy Harvey said it appeared a vehicle travelling south with a trailer might have lost control of what they were towing.

He said it was believed a vehicle travelling north with two women, somehow collided with the vehicle or the trailer.

“That vehicle heading north lost control and went off the road and rolled, and unfortunately both persons in that vehicle are deceased,” SenSgt Harvey said last night.

Police could not confirm the ages of the women.

“It is absolutely tragic circumstances, whilst we don’t know exactly what happened … two innocent parties have been killed,” Sen-sgt Harvey said.

A Queensland Ambulance Service spokesman said four people were involved in the crash and two were taken to hospital.

The spokesman said a man, believed to be in his 60s, was treated at the scene and flown to Townsville Hospital in the rescue helicopter. A woman, believed to be in her 20s, was taken by road in a stable condition to Townsville Hospital.

The Bruce Highway was closed for hours last night as the Forensic Crash Unit investigated the crash.

There have now been 37 road deaths in the northern region this year — making it the worst area in Queensland.

The last death on the road in Townsville was on September 9 when Julie Hatton, 62, died in a two-vehicle smash at the Woolcock and Weston street intersection. In July the number of deaths, prompted a warning from Transport Minister Mark Bailey