Some of the 500 or so sheep on board were not so lucky. A number of livestock died in the accident while about another 20 had to be put down.

The B-Double rolled about six km south west of Garah at about 10.30 Monday morning. Two members of the Rural Fire Service of Garah were the first on the scene.

Captain Graham Gainey and Vice Captain Reg Riley were called to the scene and arrived about 10 minutes later.

“We found it just like it is,” Mr Riley said.

“There was some diesel leaking out so we got that under control.”

He said the driver was already outside the trucks cab by the time of their arrival.

“He was lucky to get out of it alive,” he said.

“Very lucky.”

Mr Riley said the driver didn’t say what had happened.

The driver told the Moree Champion that he wasn’t sure what had happened.

He had a cut to his forehead and was in shock, but thankful to be out alive. He has been a heavy vehicle driver for six years. This was his second job with the Moree company who owned the trailers. Kilner Livestock Transport of Moree owned the trailers.

Owner Sally Preston said this was their first accident in 12 years.

She estimated the trailers were valued at about $60,000-$70,000 new.

“There is a large part of our livelihood just lying there,” she said. The truck was on a short, local job.