MARGAO : A soda-bottles laden truck proceeding to Secunderabad from Margao skid off and fell on its side as the driver failed to negotiate a speed-breaker at Raia early Wednesday morning thereby blocking the highway for almost five hours.
A Raia resident, who was at the accident spot since morning among others, said that if the accident had happened an hour later, many would have been affected.
According to people staying in the vicinity, the accident occurred at 6 am. “The impact of the accident woke me up. It was 6 am. Police reached at around 7 am. This is not the first accident at the site and many two-wheelers have skid off as the speed breaker is sharp. Many have got injured,” said a nurse, who stays in a nearby building.
Sources informed that the police van came and were looking for the driver and the cleaner of the truck, who escaped unhurt. Later traffic police reached the spot. The traffic regulation continued till the truck was lifted off the road. The soda bottles were strewn on the road till afternoon.
Police sources said that the delay in lifting the fallen truck was because of non-availability of a crane.
When contacted, additional collector John Bedi Fernandes said such accidents are handled by the police and not the disaster management team. He however explained that if tankers carrying flammable substances are stranded on the road, it would be their duty to tackle it.