Pedestrians injured as loaded truck rolls
In another traffic incident on Southwell Road which occurred just after 8am on Wednesday morning, a truck loaded with tons of baled cardboard boxes overturned as it sped down the hill, scattering its contents across one lane and injuring at least two people.
An eye witness to the incident said he had seen the truck coming down the hill at speed and, as the truck negotiated the right hand curve, watched as the load it was carrying overbalanced and the truck fell onto its side, scattering bales of cardboard boxes across the road.
“The truck was going fast,” said the witness, who was not identified. “I saw the load it was carrying was too much and [the truck] started to tip over. I knew what was going to happen.”
Talk of the Town was at the scene only minutes after the incident occurred and witnessed the devastation as well as two pedestrians who lay injured under some of the hundreds of cardboard boxes scattered around.
Police and emergency services personnel had already arrived and were administering first aid to the injured pedestrians as well as redirecting the traffic that was beginning to back up along Southwell road.
Southwell Road is part of the Sanral (South African National Road Authority Limited) R72 upgrade project which began in October 2016.
At present, none of the proposed additional traffic lights which will have the effect of slowing vehicles on the hill have been erected.
No word has yet been given by police as to the extent of the injuries the two victims suffered or if any other person was involved in the incident.