‘Hero’ rubbish truck driver narrowly avoids serious crash after brakes fail
Written by News on 28/03/2019
A truck driver is being hailed a hero after narrowly avoiding a serious accident by steering away from stationary traffic when his brakes failed.
The driver’s 14-wheel rubbish truck tipped onto its side after he made the manoeuvre while travelling down a hill in Halifax, Yorkshire.
Eyewitness Martin Tighe, 39, ran from his car to try and help him.
He said: “The first thing he said was ‘my brakes, my brakes’. There were three to four hundred litres of diesel pouring out, but me and another guy, he’d smashed a window, and the driver was trapped inside.
“We got his seat belt off and helped him out.”
Mr Tighe, who owns a haulage company in Halifax, continued: “As he’s coming down, he had two options, go round the corner where there was traffic and cars at the lights, or go over the crash barrier.
“He must have been doing around 60 miles an hour and if he’d gone through [the cars] he would have obliterated them. I’ve had training and seen videos of what trucks can do to cars even going at 40.
“Through his actions, 100% he saved lives by not going into the back of those four or five cars.”
A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said: “Police were called at 5:57 this morning (Thursday) to reports of a lorry colliding with the front of a house on Stump Cross, in Halifax.”
A statement issued on behalf of SUEZ recycling and recovery UK said: “The driver suffered minor injuries and was taken to hospital by the ambulance services. Fortunately, there were no further reported injuries.
“The cause of the accident is as of yet unknown but will be subject to investigation in due course. We continue to cooperate with the police and recovery services who are on site.
“We apologise for the traffic congestion and the effect this incident is having on the local community, in particular the residents on the road in which the accident occurred.”
Police warned people to avoid the area as the vehicle was blocking the road.
(c) Sky News 2019: ‘Hero’ rubbish truck driver narrowly avoids serious crash after brakes fail
