Man killed in horror truck explosion on Queensland’s Bruce Highway revealed to be a twin brother
A young trader who died when his car collided with a truck carrying explosive chemicals, causing a deadly fire, is being remembered as a beloved son, friend and twin brother.
Max Joseph Rourke, 21, was killed when his pickup collided with a B-double truck on the Bruce Highway in central Queensland at around 5am on August 30.
His pickup caught fire after the truck leaked a load of ammonium nitrate, sparking a massive chemical fire near Bororen, south of Gladstone.
The 21-year-old, who owned his own roof repair company, suffered serious injuries to his abdomen, legs, pelvis, head and arms and died at the scene.
His heartbroken girlfriend Tasmyn Lynette said in a heartbreaking Instagram post last week that Mr Rourke was “her everything and more”.
“Fly high my love. You will be forever missed, not only by me, but by everyone who had the chance to have you in their lives,” she wrote.
“Your smile and laugh were so loving, you brightened up every room you walked into. I will forever be your skippy. My love, my light, my everything and more.”
The craftsman was described in an obituary as a “good friend to many” and was much loved by his father Anthony and twin brother Zac.
Max Joseph Rourke (pictured left) was killed when his pickup collided with a B-double truck on the Bruce Highway in Central Queensland at around 5am on August 30.
His devastated girlfriend Tasmyn Lynette (pictured right) said in a heartbreaking Instagram post last week that Mr Rourke (left) had been ‘everything and more’ to her
Good friend Cameron Mcgrath said he was shocked by the sudden loss.
“We just talked a few days ago. My snap bestie, my brother, I just can’t believe it…” he wrote online.
A memorial service to celebrate Mr Rourke’s life will be held on September 13 in the East Chapel of Rockhampton Crematorium.
The 47-year-old driver of the B-double truck, from New South Wales, was airlifted to hospital in Bundaberg with serious injuries.
A spokeswoman for Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service told Daily Mail Australia the man is currently in a stable condition.
The chemical explosion, with a radius of 500 metres, left a huge crater in the Bruce Highway, which was closed for several days after the horrific crash.
Earlier, Queensland Premier Anthony Albanese and Premier Steven Miles had to answer questions about driver safety on the highway.
‘I am very aware that we need to do more. I want to work with the Queensland Government to ensure we do more and that we continue to have more say, including: [about] “There is an acceleration in the implementation of projects,” said Albanese.
Mr Miles was forced to deny claims that funding for the highway had been halted.
The horrific crash, which closed the highway (pictured) for several days, raised major concerns about the ongoing effort to make the road safer for motorists.
“There’s $6 billion currently allocated to projects on the Bruce, I don’t think you can call that a standstill,” the Prime Minister said.
“Some industry experts would say this is more than our construction sector can handle at the moment, so we are investing heavily.”
The Bruce Highway upgrade program began ten years ago, in July 2013. The program lasted ten years and cost $8.5 billion.
The state and federal governments agreed to jointly spend $883 million to modernize several sections of the highway.
These areas include Gladstone, Rockhampton, between Mackay and Prosperine, north of Townsville and the Tiaro Bypass.