Truck driver flees after vehicle crashes and bursts into flames on Lantau highway

A truck driver has fled the scene after his vehicle crashed into roadside barriers and burst into flames on Hong Kong’s Lantau Island, with debris from the collision injuring a taxi driver and passenger travelling behind.

The incident occurred at around 3.15am on Saturday during an amber rainstorm warning. A 16-tonne truck carrying electronic parts was heading towards the airport when it crashed on the North Lantau Highway near Tung Chung Eastern Interchange.

The vehicle skidded on the wet road, hitting eight metres (26.2 feet) of barriers before sliding 30 metres and coming to rest on the shoulder, according to police.

The truck quickly caught fire, with online footage showing fierce flames and thick smoke billowing into the sky. Explosions were also heard at the scene.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze and confirmed no one was trapped inside.

The truck driver, however, was nowhere to be found. Police said he called his employer and a colleague after the crash to report the accident, but gave no reason for leaving the scene before losing contact.