The eleven vehicles involved in a multiple collision in the southbound lane of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) near the Smart Connect Interchange on Thursday noon have already been removed, clearing all four lanes.
While motorists may still experience slow moving traffic, the build-up has receded down to the area near the Balintawak Toll Plaza, NLEX Traffic Department Senior Manager Robin Ignacio said in an exclusive interview.
“Medyo slowdown pa po ‘don sa area because of the volume of vehicles, halos normalized na rin po ‘yung flow ng traffic,” Ignacio said on Thursday.
Prior to this, heavy traffic flow stretched some four kilometers from the accident area which blocked two lanes of the expressway.
READ: 11-vehicle pile-up causes 4-km traffic jam in NLEX
Ignacio said initial investigation showed that a cargo truck sideswiped two vehicles, before losing its brakes as it was approaching the downhill part of the NLEX in Valenzuela, just below the General T. De Leon overpass.
“Pagka-sideswipe niya po no’ng dalawang sasakyan, na-push niya po ‘yong multicab and then ‘yon na po, nag-domino na po to the other vehicles,” he said.
“Ina-allege po no’ng (truck) driver na lost brake po ‘yong cargo truck,” he added.
Involved in the accident were private cars, a multicab van, and a UV Express plying the Calumpit to North EDSA/ Centris route.
Ignacio said the five injured victims were rushed to the Manila Central University (MCU) Hospital in Caloocan and in the Quirino Medical Center in Quezon City. /muf