TRAFFIC was reduced to a crawl on the Hume Highway at Carrick, about 12km north of Goulburn, after a small truck fire about 3pm today.

Traffic queued as far back as the Towrang turn off, about 1.5km south.

RFS and RMS traffic control crews were on scene to clean up the mess, which was understood to be caused by a fuel leak.

A small fire also broke out, but was quickly extinguished with fire fighting equipment.

The driver of the truck, which was hauling an excavator, is believed to be unhurt.

One northbound lane is still closed so that the truck can be moved to safer ground.

Drivers are urged to slow down and take caution. The other northbound lane is open to traffic