BP has taken all its Victorian petrol tankers off the road after a four-year-old boy, his mother and another woman died when a trailer came loose and smashed into two cars.
The trailer of the BP petrol tanker became detached while rounding a bend, rolling on top of one of the cars and crushing it.
Witnesses said the truck was travelling normally before the trailer came off.
"The tanker uncoupled from the tri-axle primary vehicle, the trailer has then crossed on to the wrong side of the road and collided head on with two vehicles," Det Insp Bernie Rankin told reporters at the scene near Wodonga.
"This is just a catastrophic situation where people innocently driving along a highway have been confronted with a situation that was impossible for them to have any control over or take any evasive action."
A 33-year-old Allans Flat woman and her four-year-old son died in the accident on Thursday morning along with a 67-year-old Yackandandah woman in the other car.
Det Insp Rankin said the trailer and truck will be examined to determine what caused the crash.
BP said that as a precaution it had recalled its entire Victorian trucking fleet and would co-operate with any investigation.
"We are deeply saddened that there have been loss of life," a BP statement said.
No fuel spilled out of the tanker but the petrol had to be funnelled into another truck before it could be lifted off the crushed vehicle.
The truck driver, a local man in his 50s, is assisting police with their inquiries.
The deaths take Victoria's road toll to 153, eight more than at this time last year.
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