A driver has told how a laden rubble truck came crashing down Strand Street, smashing into cars as it headed towards him.
|||Cape Town - A driver stopped at a red light in Strand Street has told how he watched, unable to move, as a laden rubble truck came crashing down Strand Street, smashing into cars as it headed towards him.
Robin Poggenpoel of Retreat, said: “I saw the truck coming down and hitting the other cars. I think it hit five cars before me. I still had time to cover my head.”
The truck’s suspected brake failure is thought to be the cause of the 12-car pile-up in the evening rush hour on Wednesday.
The crash occurred around 5.30pm at the corner of Adderley and Strand streets and paramedics, traffic and fire and rescue vehicles rushed to help.
Traffic spokesman Senior Officer Richard Coleman said the truck first clipped a car in Buitengracht Street before crashing into cars further down Strand Street.
“It clipped a car’s mirror but somehow managed to go pass all the other intersections and hit the 11 cars in Strand Street,” said Coleman.
He said the rubble truck had been taken off the road and its licence was suspended.
Fire and Rescue spokesman Theo Layne said three people sustained minor injuries and were sent to various hospitals for treatment.
Poggenpoel was on his way to pick up his wife and daughter when his gold Honda Accord was hit.
“I think it’s a write-off and it is a big loss for me because now I will have to pay excess and this car has already been paid off.”
Poggenpoel’s wife Sharon, who was standing just across the road and saw the crash take place, said she was just glad that he was unscathed.
yolisa.tswanya@inl.co.za
Cape Argus