15-vehicle pileup in Phuket’s tunnel injures at least one motorist
A 15-vehicle pileup in Phuket’s Dara Samut Intersection tunnel injures at least one motorist, caused by a trailer truck's brake failure and loss of control.
A pileup involving 15 vehicles in a traffic underpass on Phuket Island on Tuesday injured at least one motorist, police said.
The Phuket Info Centre Facebook page reported that the accident occurred at the underpass at Dara Samut Intersection at 11:47 am.
Some motorists involved in the accident said it was apparently caused by a trailer truck losing control and ploughing into vehicles that were stuck in traffic congestion ahead.
Police from Wichit Police Station rushed to the scene at noon and coordinated operations for over an hour to clear the damaged vehicles from the tunnel.
Police said an unidentified passenger suffered chest pain and difficulty breathing and was rushed to Phuket Vajira Hospital.
Upon investigation, police blamed an 18-wheel trailer truck from Ranong, which was delivering pile foundations to Nai Harn Beach in Tambon Rawai, Mueang District, for the accident.
Police said the truck suffered a brake malfunction, and the momentum from driving down the tunnel caused it to be unable to stop in time, ploughing into vehicles ahead.
A video clip from a vehicle in the opposite lane showed that the truck’s impact hurled a pickup truck across the concrete lane barrier into the opposite lane.
The 18-wheel trailer truck driver was arrested and charged with reckless driving causing injuries and damage.
