Police and ambulance crews were at the scene of a major crash near Crambeck, on the A64 near Malton, this afternoon.
Villagers called the emergency services after hearing what one called "a massive explosion" at about 12.10pm.
Several ran out of the village to the scene, where it is thought two articulated lorries, one travelling towards Scarborough and one towards York, had collided. One lorry was reported to have shed its load of steel, and the main road was expected to be closed for several hours.
Onlooker Peter Jackson, of Crambeck, said: "It sounded like a bomb or a gas explosion. People ran out of the village, concerned that it might be gas tanks nearby."
Traffic was being turned round at Golden Hill and diversions were in place at the Pickering interchange taking traffic down the Castle Howard road, the B1257, and on to the Welburn crossroads.
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