A truck wedged on a hairpin of Macquarie Pass causes closure

Rural Fire Service District Officer Matt Reeves told the Mercury a resident from the top of the bass "brought his tractor down and was able to move the rear of the truck sideways" after its axel had become caught.

Earlier reports of a truck on fire turned out to be a false alarm, with a second truck waiting to get up the pass simply overheating.

The Pass was closed for more than an hour when the initial truck became wedged with emergency services from RFS, Fire and Rescue NSW and Wollongong Police attending.

2:30pm: Traffic is still backed up heading west on the Illawarra Highway with two truck incidents on Macquarie Pass causing havoc.

Local crews from the Rural Fire Service, Fire and Rescue NSW and Wollongong Police were called about 1:19pm to reports one truck had become wedged on a hairpin of the pass while another one was reporedly on fire.

A FRNSW spokesman confirmed the truck fire turned out to be a tipper truck overheating, and not an emergency.

However, the 14 tonne vehicle carrying a load of steel pipes was still causing the highway to be blocked in both directions, with more resources needed to get it back on the road.

The Pass is closed between Mount Murray Road in Mount Murray and Tongarra Lane in Tongarra.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area.

Light vehicles can use Jamberoo Mountain Road instead, which adds around 10 minutes to trips.

Heavy vehicles are advised to use the Hume Highway, Picton Road and the M1 Princes Motorway, which adds around 30 minutes to trips.

Motorists are advised to allow extra travel time and exercise caution.

Earlier: Emergency services are trying to get to a truck ablaze half-way up Macquarie Pass while a second truck broken down at the top is preventing access from the west.

Around 1:19pm Fire and Rescue NSW crews were called, with a spokesman confirming a tipper truck with trailer was on fire in the middle of the pass.

He said a second 14-tonne truck with a load was wedged on the hairpin with it's "axel caught on the roadway" and blocking emergency services from coming in from the west to the fire.

All occupants of both vehicles have been accounted for and are safe.

The Pass is closed between Mount Murray Road in Mount Murray and Tongarra Lane in Tongarra.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area.

Light vehicles can use Jamberoo Mountain Road instead, which adds around 10 minutes to trips.

Heavy vehicles are advised to use the Hume Highway, Picton Road and the M1 Princes Motorway, which adds around 30 minutes to trips.

Motorists are advised to allow extra travel time and exercise caution.

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