Photo by Lyn Rillon/INQUIRER
(Updated, 12:32 p.m.) Seventeen vehicles were reportedly involved in a smashup on C5 Ortigas flyover on Tuesday, which left at least five people injured and resulted in heavy traffic in the area.
The accident which happened at approximately 10:30 a.m. ensued after a driver of a truck lost control of his vehicle which carried 400 sacks of wheat husk.
“Ang nangyari eh pagpalusong, biglaang nawalan ng preno. Pagpalusong ko eh alalay ako sa preno bigla pong nawalan ng preno. Nabunggo po eh (What happened was I lost my brake on my way down. I was careful, but I lost my brake. Then the collisions happened),” Juan Esteban admitted in an interview with DZMM.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Metro-base, as of 12:00 noon, said the collision occupied two of the northbound lanes causing the total closure of C5 Ortigas flyover going to Libis.
Only the southbound lane was passable as of writing.
“Yung kasalubong, totally ‘yung north bound sinarado,” MMDA rescue officer Oscar Ilagan said, adding that the vehicles on the southbound lane were slowly moving.
Aside from the truck, several cars, a taxi and two motorcycles were included in the incident, the MMDA said.
Two motorcycle riders who figured in the accident were immediately brought to the hospital, while three other victims were given first-aid treatment.
Most of the vehicles were heavily damaged.
“So ‘yung truck hindi pa natin pwede (alisin) dahil sabi niya wala siyang preno. So kailangan ipa-tow truck,” Ilagan said.
(We cannot remove the truck right away because it has no brakes. It needs to be towed.)
“Sisikapin namin na ma-clear nang maayos kaya lang hindi po agad-agad. Kasi ‘yung taxi na naipit ng truck nasa ilalim, ‘pag hinatak namin’ yung unahan may possibility na ‘yung isang closed van gumalaw,” he explained.
(We will work hard to clear the vehicles, but we cannot do it immediately. Because the taxi stuck below the truck could move and damage the other vehicles if we just pull it.) IDL
Photo by Lyn Rillon/INQUIRER