Chemical clean-up closes highway

State Highway 36 has been closed for about three days now. Photo: Andrew Campbell.

One of two main highways that link Tauranga to Rotorua remains closed this morning as work continues to remove hazardous materials.

State Highway 36, also known as Pyes Pa Road, was closed on Monday afternoon when a truck and trailer unit crashed down a bank.

The driver, a 63-year-old Rotorua man, died at the scene in the Mangorewa Gorge just after 12pm.

It's been reported the truck was carrying 40 200 litre drums of epoxy resin and ferric chloride. Some of the drums spilled the contents in the crash.

Ferric chloride is used for metal etching and effluent treatment.

Northern Fire Service communications shift manager Scott Osmond says crews were still recovering drums from the crash site yesterday afternoon.

The highway remains closed to allow the drums to be removed and a crane to be brought in to remove the wreckage of the truck.

Diversions remain in place at the north end of Pyes Pa Road near Te Matai Road, and at the south end of Pyes Pa Road near Dudley Road.

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