A PLUGGA hero has rescued a truck driver from a burning wreckage on the M1 today after a fiery crash that put Gold Coast traffic into gridlock.

Athen Barnaby — wearing only thongs — climbed on to a burning truck and pulled the stricken driver to safety during incredible scenes on the M1 at Nerang today.

The truck jackknifed while crossing a bridge on the southbound lanes near exit 69 and burst into flames at about 1.40pm — blocking lanes in both directions.

But in an incredibly heroic act, Mr Barnaby and a host of other heroes raced to the truck and pulled him to safety.

media_camera The moment Athen Barnaby and other rescuers pull the truck driver from the wreckage.

The crash forced the closure of all eight lanes of the highway with traffic jams stretching back 8km north and southbound and gridlocking all major arterial roads including Ferry Road, Gold Coast Highway, Southport Nerang Road, Olsen Avenue and Government Road.

The southbound lanes on the M1 will be closed until the early hours of tomorrow morning with crews expected to take hours to clean up the mangled mess.

media_camera Passers-by help the truck driver after the crash. Photo: Jordan Sumo Summers

Only two lanes northbound lanes are open with a light pole hanging precariously over the inner northbound lane.

Engineers are currently assessing the bridge and motorway for structural damage.

It appears diesel fuel has also leaked into the Nerang River.

media_camera The burnt wreck of the truck. Photo: Jack Houghton

The driver of the truck, a man in his 60s, was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital suffering burns and a fractured leg. He remains in a stable condition.

In a Facebook post after the rescue, Mr Barnaby reflected on the moment writing “the moment when all your life lessons of valuing life, caring for family and others all come into play when you have to make a sound decision of whether you put your life at risk to save another. feeling great I just pulled out an elderly man from the wreckage of his burning truck.”

media_camera Athen Barnaby saved a truck driver's life — pulling him from a burning truck on the M1

Motorist Jordan Summers who witnessed the accident said he saw a group of about five men jump between bridges on the highway to help the elderly driver.

“They jumped from the northbound to southbound lanes, then climbed onto the cabin of the truck and helped him out,” the Pacific Pines man said.

A truck has crashed and erupted into flames Nerang Queensland, a truck has crashed into the middle barrier and caught on fire on the M1 southbound. Courtesy: Jason van Hunnik/7 News Queensland

Mr Summers said about a minute after the group helped the man to a safe distance from the cab of the truck and trailer which had jackknifed flames engulfed the vehicle.

“It was on fire underneath while they were pulling him out, if they had been any later I think the driver would have been dead for sure,” he said.

“Credit to those guys, they have done a fantastic job and saved that man’s life.”

media_camera Darrin Braybrook snapped this photo of the crash.

Another witness said she was a few cars behind the truck when the incident occurred.

She said the truck drifted and hit the guardrail on the left side of the road before spinning across all lanes and smashing into the guardrail between the north and south lanes.

She said it caught fire and there were a number of explosions.

media_camera A truck is on fire after crash on the M1. Photo: Jordan Sumo Summers

The woman said “a quick thinking nurse and some young blokes with fire extinguishers managed to pull the driver free.”

Police are directing southbound traffic on Exit 66 at Smith St to avoid the gridlock.

A truck has crashed and burst into flames A truck has crashed into the middle barrier and caught on fire on the M1 southbound. Video: Jack Houghton

media_camera A screenshot of the Department of Transport and Main Roads traffic camera at Exit 69.

media_camera M1 traffic jam due to truck crash.

Originally published as ‘Moment you have to make a decision’