Three people have been killed and a highway shut down after several vehicles collided in a horrific crash including a car stolen in a violent carjacking.

Emergency services were called after the three-car collision on the Bruce Highway south of Gympie in Queensland about 4am on Friday.

Three people died and a man in his 30s was taken to Gympie Hospital with serious head injuries.

One of the vehicles involved was stolen in a violent carjacking In Gympie on Thursday, police have confirmed.

An alert for the vehicle was issued after a man armed with a knife threatened a mum and her three children as the family were getting into the Isuzu MU-X.

The terrified mother got her kids out of the vehicle before handing over the car to the robber.

The woman and children were not physically injured and police have been unable to confirm if the robber was involved in the fatal crash.

Southbound lanes of the Bruce Highway are expected to be closed for an extended period and diversions are in place.

The forensic crash unit is investigating.

– AAP

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