Tanker crash closes SH1 in Northland

A truck driver critically injured in a crash north of Auckland on the weekend has been released from hospital.

The milk tanker he was driving rolled and slid hundreds of metres down the road near the intersection of SH1 and Schollum Access Rd north of Puhoi around 4.45am on Sunday morning.

Police were alerted to the crash 3km south of Kaiwaka at 4.20am. Photo / Daniel Hines

The highway was closed for around 13 hours and diversions put in place while crews cleaned up thousands of litres of milk fat that had spilled onto the road.

Due to a rolled Tanker SH1 near Topuni is CLOSED. A detour is in place. Expect #delays in the area. ^LC pic.twitter.com/oDYPFeeKlf

— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) September 28, 2015

A police spokesman said the driver had since been released from hospital and further investigations into the crash were ongoing.

The truck being removed from the highway. Photo / Daniel Hines

The man was trapped in the truck for about two-and-a-half hours and was transported to Auckland City Hospital in a "critical but stable condition", a spokesman for Westpac Rescue Helicopter said.

It's understood the driver had neck, facial and leg injuries.