'Slippery mush' cleared after motorway crash

Emergency services and heavy machinery worked into the early hours this morning to clear tonnes of pet food spread over an Auckland motorway following a crash.

Inspector Ian Brooker said the crash happened on the southern motorway at about 9.30pm when a truck hit the Redoubt Rd overbridge.

He said it appeared the accident was caused by a car that lost control on the on-ramp, knocking over a light pole into the first lane of the motorway.

"A truck and trailer unit then struck this pole and in turn lost control colliding with the bridge structure scattering some 30 tonnes of pet food across all lanes," Mr Brooker said.

The truck also collided with another southbound car, and a woman occupant of the car was taken to hospital with severe leg injuries.

A pair of large diggers, two dump trucks and road sweeping and washing machines were used to clean up what was described as "a smelly, slippery mush".

Delays were caused by rain, which made the mess even worse.

Police said all lanes to the motorway were re-opened at about 4am and diversions had been put in place during the clean up.

- NZPA