A large highway to Sydney was closed today after a truck with metal debris lost its load on the southern lanes of the M1 around 5:00 am this morning, pierced hundreds of cars and caused a traffic jam that stretched almost 30 km.
The ABC Reports that a large number of cars were left on the side of the road after they were damaged by metal shards that came out of a truck over a huge stretch between the capital of New South Wales and Newcastle.
The NRMA said it received hundreds of phone calls from stranded motorists at the NSW Central Coast, with some vehicles that suffer several leaks between Palmdale and the Moeney Mooney Bridge.
Part of the highway was closed between Ourimbah and the Calga exchange and a distance of almost 30 km while the day-long clearance took place. It was finally reopened at 3 p.m.
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All southern motorists were diverted to the Pacific Highway near Ourimbah, and a truck company located in the west of Sydney later admitted that it was one that was his trucks that accidentally dropped a ton of scrap on the road.
Horsley Park Trucking Company NJ Ashton has set up A website that tackles affected motorists And says that all reasonable costs will be covered under the insurance policy.
“Just small pieces of steel … so we’re talking about Ton, 40 tons at the back of our truck … it’s called Flock, so it’s just like scrap and we transport the material,” said the company Daniel Falconer of the company at it ABC.
“The pins with the trailer gate were safe, so it’s a mystery how it was to spill.”
Mr. Falconer said that the driver of the truck was loading his vehicle yesterday and that investigations were underway in the cause of the accident.
“We take full responsibility for what happened and do not regret damage and disruption that has been caused,” said NJ Ashton is a statement.
“Our immediate priority is to help with cleaning up. As soon as we were aware of the accident, we have any qualified technician who we have to help help with authorities and help drivers to get back on the road.
“We still don’t quite understand how this happened. At this stage it seems to have been an accident.
“As soon as cleaning up is resolved, we will investigate what went wrong. The truck driver has been doing the run for about a year and is experienced, and our fleet is regularly maintained and maintained.
“We have always followed the highest standards and are fully in accordance with all certifications and regulations. We take our public responsibility and dedication to the communities in which we operate very seriously.”
A commuter called Roger, who entered the highway in Kariong and felt the rubble shortly thereafter under his tires, said 702 ABC Radio Sydney He was able to change a pierced band himself a few kilometers further.
“There was a warning signal of rubble on the Moeney Moeney Bridge,” he said. “Driving over the bridge it felt like I was going over a gravel bed and from that moment on, almost non-stop cars had been pulled on the side of the road.”
“I came as far as Berowra and I had a flat band. So happy, because the people next to me had struck two tires and had to wait for help.”
Another driver who was stranded by two flat tires told ABC Radio Central Coast That he saw 20 to 30 cars stranded on the M1, all with flat tires and their hazard lights on.
‘It’s just a disaster at the moment … I’m just waiting for a tow truck [to] Hopefully bring me back to Gosford so that I can sort out my two tires, “he said.
NRMA Roadside Assist Manager Simon Denic told the ABC Many drivers had arrived at their destination later to find their vehicles that have been knocked down by draining slowly deflating tires.
Minister of NSW Roads Jenny Aitchison said that the government agency had received reports that no fewer than 380 vehicles may have been damaged.
“This is an unprecedented situation,” she said.
“We work with all government resources and the private sector to clean it up.
“It is very challenging because small pieces of metal are very difficult to pick up – if you can imagine it is as if you are trying to get up the highway.”
The minister said that the priority cleans up a backlog of B-Double trucks that cannot turn around.
“That will alleviate congestion,” she said. “We look at a very long -term situation. We talk for hours and possibly until the end of the day.”
NSW -Politie told the ABC A 46-year-old male truck driver helped officers.
Coordinator of the Transport Management Center Howard Collins said that emergency services helped the TMC in removing cars from the highway, while the truck company employed magnetic sweeping machines to release rubble off the road.
“It is really a difficult job, never seen before, hopefully never again,” he said.
The NRMA said it sent extra patrols and tow trucks to the area and apologized for waiting times of more than two hours for help.
But the incident attracted both positive and negative reactions to the social media channels of the NRMA, in which a commentator said: “A plume for the transport company for owning this and promising to make it right” and another asks “the owners will pay for the inconvenience for drivers, missed flights, missed doctors, what about people who are for a one and and the to be omed and and the to be to be ignored.” “”
