A 66-YEAR-OLD Latrobe man was in a serious condition last night after his vehicle hit a B-double truck outside the Caltex Service station at Sassafras.
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Police, ambulance, fire and SES crews worked for 90 minutes to free the man after he became trapped in the white 1994 Mazda van he was driving. He was the only occupant of the vehicle.
The man was taken by ambulance to the Mersey Hospital before being airlifted to the Royal Hobart Hospital in a critical condition.
The truck had been stationary at the time of the crash, and was parked outside the Sassafras Caltex petrol station, just off the Bass Highway.
The driver of the prime mover was a 48-year-old man from Brighton in the state's South. He was not in the vehicle at the time of the accident, but was left shaken by the incident.
Police estimated the Mazda had been travelling at 70 or 80km/h before it hit the rear of the truck.
One of the eastbound lanes of the Bass Highway was closed as crews removed the man from the vehicle, but one lane in each direction was kept open.
The cause of the crash remained unclear.
Police would like to speak to anyone who saw the Mazda in the area before the incident, or anyone who may have witnessed the crash.
Anyone with information should contact the Burnie police station, or leave their details on the police assistance number 131 444.