Multiple Soldiers Injured as Two Army Trucks Crash Near Lismore, NSW While Responding to Flood-Hit Region – March 8, 2025

Incident Overview
A devastating crash involving two Australian Defence Force (ADF) trucks near Tregeagle, NSW , has left thirteen soldiers injured, with two in serious condition. The incident occurred at approximately 5:00 pm on Saturday, March 8, 2025 , while the convoy was en route to assist flood-affected residents in Lismore following ex-tropical cyclone Alfred. Both trucks rolled after attempting to avoid a collision, resulting in a chaotic mass casualty scene. Emergency services, including police, ambulance, and fire crews, worked alongside ADF personnel to triage and transport the injured. NSW Police Superintendent Scott Tanner described it as one of the largest and most complex accident scenes he had encountered in his 32-year career.

Location and Time
The crash occurred on Tregeagle Road in Tregeagle , a rural area approximately nine kilometers from Lismore in northern NSW. The timing of the incident, during the late afternoon of March 8, 2025 , coincided with the ADF’s deployment to support flood recovery efforts in the region, which had been battered by ex-tropical cyclone Alfred.

Vehicles Involved
Two ADF trucks were part of the crash, each carrying sixteen soldiers from the 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment and the 7th Combat Service Support Battalion , based at Gallipoli Barracks in Brisbane. One truck veered off the roadway and rolled multiple times into a paddock, while the second truck tipped onto its side during the maneuver to avoid the first vehicle. Both trucks sustained significant damage, and the soldiers inside were subjected to varying degrees of injury.

Crash Description
According to NSW Police, the crash unfolded when the two trucks attempted to avoid colliding with each other on Tregeagle Road. One vehicle left the road and rolled into a paddock, while the second overturned onto its side. Emergency responders arrived to find four soldiers trapped in the wreckage and others scattered along the roadway, some providing first aid to themselves and their colleagues. Superintendent Scott Tanner praised the soldiers’ quick actions, noting they had already triaged most of the injured before emergency services arrived.

Injuries/Fatalities
Thirteen soldiers were injured in the crash, with two requiring hospitalization in serious condition at Lismore Hospital. Eleven others sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were treated at hospitals in Lismore, Tweed Heads, Ballina, and Byron Bay. Nineteen soldiers classified as “walking wounded” were transported by bus for further assessment. All personnel were wearing seatbelts, which significantly reduced the severity of injuries.

Emergency Response
Emergency services declared a mass casualty incident due to the scale of the crash. Nineteen ambulance crews, Police Rescue teams, Fire and Rescue NSW, SES, and RFS members collaborated with ADF personnel to extricate trapped soldiers and provide medical care. Specialist trauma surgeons and doctors were called to assist, and the injured were distributed across multiple hospitals. Superintendent Tanner commended the “outstanding” coordination between agencies and the soldiers’ resilience in administering first aid under extreme circumstances.

Community Impact
The crash has deeply affected both the local community and the ADF. The soldiers were en route to aid flood-hit residents in Lismore, only to become victims of a tragic accident themselves. Superintendent Tanner expressed gratitude for their service and extended condolences to their families, stating, “Our hearts and our thoughts and our prayers go out to their family.” The ADF confirmed all families of the injured were notified and thanked emergency responders for their professionalism.

Investigation
NSW Police are investigating the cause of the crash, focusing on why the trucks attempted to avoid each other, road conditions exacerbated by the cyclone, and potential driver error or mechanical failures. Authorities are appealing for witnesses or dashcam footage to assist in piecing together the events.

Contributing Factors
Possible factors under scrutiny include the high-stress environment of emergency response operations, weather-related hazards from ex-tropical cyclone Alfred, and the dynamics of the convoy’s maneuvering. The investigation will also assess whether visibility, road surface conditions, or coordination between the trucks played a role in the incident.