1 dead, 3 hurt in truck crash due to ashfall

Police warned on Sunday motorists from driving in areas heavily affected by the ashfall from Taal Volcano following the death of a truck driver when he lost control of the steering wheel in Laguna due to zero visibility.

Col. Eleazar Matta, director of the Laguna Provincial Police Office, said the truck driven by Gilbert Briones overturned while travelling along a curve portion of a road in Barangay Paciano Rizal, Calamba City.

“The driver lost control of the truck due to zero visibility and when the windshield was covered with ashes,” said Matta.

The accident also inflicted injuries to truck helpers Jovin Dayson Daen, 22; Charity Flores, 33; and; Reymar Dayson Daen, 34.

Matta said the truck was heading to Cabuyao City when it hit a concrete post along the national road at around 1 a.m. on Monday.

The strong impact, according to Matta, inflicted serious injuries to the victims, the driver died as a result of the accident.