Person seriously injured when a truck rolls over onto a car after hitting a railway bridge

A truck fell onto a car after hitting a low rail bridge in North Otago, trapping one person and seriously injured.

The incident occurred on Humber St in Oamaru, between Tyne and Wear streets, around 5:15 p.m. Thursday.

The truck was traveling north when it struck the bridge and overturned into a passing car, seriously injuring a person inside.

A police spokeswoman said a rescue helicopter was called, as were firefighters and an ambulance.

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The police unit of serious accidents and KiwiRail were also alerted. Motorists are urged to avoid the area.

A KiwiRail spokesperson said the rail line was closed for an hour while the bridge was being inspected.

No train service has been affected and the line has since reopened.

This is not the first time that a truck has hit the bridge, which has a height restriction of 3.5 meters.

In 2014, a car transporter put his truck under the bridge, but the trailer carrying five cars got stuck. All three cars on the upper deck were heavily damaged, two overturned and one was left reeling on the edge.

The AH & J Bruce haul truck suffered a similar fate in 2018, cutting the bridge and ending up on its side. Nobody was hurt.

At the time, KiwiRail said it had been investigating ways to reduce bridge strikes, including working with local road control authorities on potential road improvements and installing more signage.

Waitaki District Council highway manager Michael Voss said the council was not concerned about the height of the bridge and that it was well marked.