Runaway truck causes 8-car pile-up in Central
Two people were slightly injured in the series of crashes on Garden Road that began with a truck ramming three cars, after its brakes apparently failed.
An eight-vehicle pile-up shortly before yesterday's evening rush hour brought traffic on major routes in Central to a standstill.
Two people were slightly injured in the series of crashes on Garden Road that began with a truck ramming three cars, after its brakes apparently failed.
Police said the truck, carrying construction waste, lost control on the slope near the United States consulate at about 4.30pm.
First, it ran into a Mercedes-Benz, sending the car careering onto the pavement. Then it rammed a second Mercedes-Benz. The truck then careered into a third car, sending that car crashing into two other cars and a taxi. Finally, a seventh car was hit by concrete and dirt spilling from the lorry as it overturned.
A 64-year-old woman passenger in the truck and the 76-yearold driver of the first Mercedes were taken to Queen Mary Hospital, Pok Fu Lam, with slight injuries.
The driver of the second Mercedes said she heard the truck roaring down the road before it hit her car. "I saw glass flying … Luckily I was fine," she said.
The truck driver, aged 36, said his brakes had failed, and that he had tried in vain to stop it.
Police Inspector Lee Hing-yeung said an initial investigation showed no evidence that the truck was overloaded. He said investigators would look into whether it had been speeding or had any malfunctioning parts.
The section of the three-lane north-bound Garden Road was closed until about 7pm, when all the vehicles involved were removed.
