Big rig nearly drives onto golf course
Atransport truck driver from Nova Scotia, not to mention maybe a golfer or two, were lucky not to be seriously hurt when the big rig went crashing over a steep embankment in Corner Brook early Friday afternoon.
The driver, a 52-year-old man from Nova Scotia, lost control of the truck as he entered Corner Brook via Exit 5 from the Trans-Canada Highway in the westbound offramp leading to Confederation Drive shortly before 1:30 p.m.
A long stretch of black skid marks showed where the truck went through the stop sign at the bottom of the steep off-ramp, across the intersection of Confederation Drive, over a guard rail on the other side of the road and down a steep, rough 30-metre incline.
The rig came to an abrupt stop on Crocker’s Road below, merely metres away from the green at the 17th hole of the Blomidon Golf and Country Club, which was directly in its path.
It came close to striking a major electricity tower approximately 10 metres to the truck’s right.
Looking up the hill, it was clear the truck had also come close to smashing into a group of large boulders.
The man was taken to Western Memorial Regional Hospital in Corner Brook for injuries not believed to be serious.
Witnesses at the scene said he was shaken up and appeared to be in some pain, but was alert and appeared to be OK.
The truck had been carrying a forklift and materials to construct a steel Quonset hut on its flatbed trailer.
Short sections of galvanized corrugated steel and an array of nuts and bolts were scattered about the accident scene.
Exit 5 and a section of Confederation Drive were closed for a short time as the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary conducted its investigation of the accident.
The cause of the accident had not been determined as of press time.
The truck was to be removed Friday evening and a mechanical inspection was to be conducted as part of the RNC’s investigation.