Family’s shock as truck comes to halt in home
GALPIN Close resident Yolande Louw expressed shock last Friday on hearing a truck had crashed into her home.
No one was home at the time the SJW plant truck carrying huge concrete pipes for construction on Albany Road, crashed through the living room of the Louw home near Happy Hours Pre-primary at about 12 noon.
The driver was not in the vehicle when it crashed and no one was injured.
Surveying the damage to her house with friends and neighbours, Louw, who works for Ndlambe Traffic Department, said she was still in shock, but thankful she, her husband and son had not been home at the time.
SAPS and the Ndlambe Traffic and Fire departments responded to the scene. Police said it appeared the truck had parked to offload the pipes and had not put on the parking brakes. The truck rolled and the engine was still running when it crashed through the garden wall and into the house.
Quick-thinking neighbour Gareth Botha said he did not witness the actual crash, but checked the cab and when he saw no one was inside he turned off the engine.
Police said it was just as well the driver was not in the cab when it crashed as a roof beam went right through the windscreen. Murray & Roberts employees were on the scene making calls to their superiors, but would not comment.
Murray & Roberts media executive Ed Jardim, later responded to TotT’s queries.
“The truck involved was one of our subcontractors,” he said. “It parked in the town section of the job to offload concrete pipes. They were preparing for offloading, when it started rolling away and ran into a residence. As you have outlined, we are thankful no one was home, thus there were no injuries to any people. There was some property damage though.” Jardim said the reasons for the truck rolling were still under investigation.
“We cannot speculate about the causes at this stage. Our health, safety and environment manager will lead this investigation and the authorities have been notified.”
Asked whose insurance was going to cover damages, Jardim said: “We are not sure if it’s our insurers or the subcontractor’s insurers who will respond to this event, but one of them will I’m sure”.