8 hurt as truck hits vehicles at red light
A truck driver says brake failure resulted in him running into 11 vehicles stopped at a red light in Kwai Chung yesterday, injuring eight people.
Police are investigating whether the crash was caused by a mechanical fault and also looking into whether the truck was overloaded or speeding.
The truck was travelling south on Cheung Wing Road when the crash happened at about 9.30am.
The 61-year-old driver, surnamed Chiu, told police the brakes had failed when the truck was approaching the junction of Cheung Wing Road and Kwok Shui Road. More than 10 vehicles were stopped ahead of the truck, at a red light.
Senior inspector Cheung Che of New Territories South traffic investigation unit said the truck ran into the back of a dangerous goods vehicle carrying 40 cylinders of refrigerant, causing a chain collision with another 10 stationary vehicles - two double-decker buses, four goods vehicles, two taxis and two cars.
'The stationary vehicles were pushed into different directions and caused a pile-up. It was just like the collapse of bowling pins,' he said.
A female bus passenger who escaped injury said she heard several loud bangs before her double-decker was rammed by a vehicle. 'I saw a goods vehicle crash forward and ram into the back of a taxi on my right side,' she said.
Several drivers were trapped, and were freed by firemen. Police said four male drivers and four bus passengers were injured.
The injured, aged between 30 and 56, were taken to Princess Margaret Hospital in Lai Chi Kok.
A male bus passenger, 56, was in a serious condition and two drivers, men aged 30 and 46, remained under observation. The five others were discharged.
Firemen unloaded 40 cylinders of refrigerant from the dangerous goods vehicle and sprayed them with water before they were removed by another truck.
A police spokesman said all 12 drivers involved in the crash passed breath tests.
Cheung said the site of the collision was not a traffic black spot. The speed limit in the area is 50km/h.
'Police will investigate the driving of the truck driver and look into whether his truck suffered a mechanical fault or was speeding. We will investigate every possibility,' Cheung said.
Kwai Tsing district councillor Lam Siu-fai said vehicles often sped along Cheung Wing Road because it was a five-lane carriageway. He urged the Transport Department to install a speed camera at the junction, reassess road safety and erect more traffic signs urging motorists to slow down.
Yesterday's accident caused severe congestion for more than two hours. Traffic flow returned to normal at about noon.
