UPDATE, 12.50PM: TWO men lost their lives in a serious two-vehicle crash on the Bruce Highway when a van and a truck collided early in the morning at an intersection along the Bruce Highway.

Police say the driver of the van, a 57-year-old  Alice River man, and a 59-year-old Mundingburra man who was a passenger, were pronounced deceased at the scene.

The collision occurred on the highway about 3km north of Carmila at the intersection of Karloo Road.

At the scene of the fatal crash, the single-lane highway intersects with a rural road.

A 37-year-old Kelso man and a 31-year-old Gympie region man, who were also passengers of the van, were flown to Mackay Base Hospital in a critical condition.

The 52-year-old truck driver from Logan received minor injuries and was treated at the scene.

Police have launched an appeal for witnesses and have asked anyone with  dashcam footage of the incident to come forward.

Five people have died on Mackay region roads in two months. 

'Sliced in half': First responders describe 'horrific' scene

FIRST responders have described the "horrific" scene they were confronted by at a fatal two vehicle crash where a van was "sliced in half" on the Bruce Highway.

Two men, including the van's driver, had died at the scene when the RACQ CQ Rescue medical team arrived about 100km south of Mackay, at Carmila. 

Heavy rain near the crash site forced the chopper to land about 20km away at the Ilbilbie Roadhouse and police escorted the medical team to the scene.

The doctor and critical care paramedic used all the blood on board the rescue chopper to save the lives of the van's two other occupants.

READ MORE: Prioritise us: Plan to fix the Bruce Highway

The pair was flown to Mackay Base Hospital in a critical condition.

A spokeswoman for the rescue service said both people were "horrifically injured" as a result of the collision between a van and B-double truck.

"One was bleeding out rapidly and would never have survived transport without the blood," she said.
"The medical team described the van as sliced in half."

The chopper arrived with at Mackay Base Hospital with both critical patients about 7am.

UPDATE, 9AM: TWO men have died at the scene of a horror Bruce Highway smash near Carmila early this morning.

Both were travelling in a "transit van" when the van and a B-double truck collided on the highway about 100km south of Mackay, a Queensland Police spokesman said.

Two other people who were traveling in the van sustained "life-threatening" injuries and were flown to Mackay Base Hospital by the rescue chopper.

The driver of the truck was taken to Mackay Base Hospital by road in a stable condition.

UPDATE, 7.20AM: THERE are fears for two people involved in a serious collision that shut the Bruce Highway with another two people in a critical condition. 

Two people have been airlifted to Mackay Base Hospital after a serious crash at Carmila just after 4am. 

Emergency services were called to the scene 100km south of Mackay with reports a B-double and van collided.

A Queensland Ambulance spokesman said the pair was in critical conditions.

A third person will be taken to Mackay Base in a stable condition by road ambulance.

Paramedics on scene assessed five people. 

One lane of the Bruce Highway was re-opened to traffic just after 8am. Police at the scene are  conducting traffic control. 

INITIAL: THE Bruce Highway is closed south of Mackay after a serious crash at Carmila.

Emergency services were called to the scene just after 4am where a truck and vehicle collided.

It is understood the vehicles involved were a B-double truck and a camper van, a Queensland Ambulance spokesman said. 

A rescue helicopter has landed at the Ilbilbie Roadhouse where four critical patients are being assessed by paramedics.

A statement from RACQ CQ Rescue said it would transport one patient. 

Queensland Fire and Emergency Service crews cut one person from the van just after 6am.

A QFES spokeswoman said that person was now free, but still in the vehicle.

Police say the road will remain closed for a number of hours and that motorists should expect delays.

The Forensic Crash Unit has attended.