A trucking company linked to a horrific double-fatal crash in Sydney has been hit with 91 fresh defect notices with an audit of its fleet extended to Victoria.
NSW officials launched an investigation after an out-of-control Cootes Transport fuel tanker ploughed into a power pole and four cars before erupting in a fireball on Mona Vale Road on Tuesday.
Two men died in the inferno and six others were taken to hospital.
By late Thursday, NSW Road and Maritime Services (RMS) inspectors auditing the Cootes fleet had issued 126 defect notices - at least 92 of which relate to brake faults.
Now their counterparts across the border, VicRoads' Transport Safety Service officers, have found defects in 91 of the company's vehicles.
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Of these, 36 were grounded immediately and won't be allowed back on the roads until they undergo repairs and further checks.
VicRoads said in a statement on Sunday intensive mechanical inspections of more than 110 Cootes vehicles and trailers had uncovered faults including oil and air leaks, brake and suspension defects and structural integrity issues such as problems with the chassis.
The Victorian authority will review the trucking company's heavy vehicle accreditation as part of its audit process, which is expected to continue on Monday.
NSW investigators say it's still unclear what caused the truck involved in Tuesday's crash to go out of control, overturn, then explode into flames.
Their probe is expected to take weeks.
