Two dead after truck crashes into cars stopped at roadworks

Two people are dead and 10 more are in hospital after a truck smashed into six other vehicles stopped for roadworks in Central West NSW.

The accident took place at about 12.30pm, with the semi-trailer hitting vehicles halted on the Newell Highway about 20km north of Dubbo, on the road to Gilgandra.

A total of seven vehicles were involved in the collision: the semi-trailer, a B-double, four sedans, and a utility.

Two people were trapped in their vehicles for more than three hours before being freed and taken to hospital.

Eight patients have already been taken to Dubbo Base Hospital.

A two-year-old girl suffered minor leg cuts, a 52-year-old woman sustained shoulder and wrist injuries and a 26-year-old woman suffered pelvic injuries.

A 20-year-old man sustained lacerations to his face and arms, while a 24-year-old woman is in a stable condition with head injuries and cuts to her leg.

Two others were flown to hospital, including an 18-year-old man who was trapped under the truck.

A truck driver will also be airlifted out after being freed from the wreckage with leg and pelvic fractures.

NSW Ambulance superintendent Kathy Golledge earlier described it as "absolute carnage".

"One car is believed to be completely crushed under a truck," she said.

Up to nine ambulance units and three helicopters were among the emergency responders.

Fuel has been spilled on the road, and the Newell Highway has been closed in both directions, with detours expected to remain in place well into the night.

NSW Roads Minister Melinda Pavey said the scene was one of "total carnage".

"It is an absolute horror. [The truck] came on to traffic. We had a worker collapse with shock. This is a terrible, terrible crash," Ms Pavey told the ABC today.

Police said they did not yet know what caused the crash, but implored drivers to be aware of their fatigue levels and to rest when tired.

This will be the third major truck crash on NSW roads in two days.

Three people were killed in two separate incidents yesterday.

One man died after three trucks and a car collided, sparking a fireball and causing traffic chaos on the M1 in the Lake Macquarie region.

About ninety minutes later, there was a head-on collision between two trucks near Grafton, killing both drivers.