Chennai: Tipper lorry crashes through flyover parapet into service lane

Chennai: A tipper lorry came crashing down from Anna flyover from a height of nearly 4 metres, crushing three mini-pickups parked in the service lane after breaking the parapet wall, during the small hours of Tuesday. Though the lorry driver - Manikandan, (24), of Tambaram was injured, no other casualties were reported.

Manikandan had dozed off at the wheel while taking the vehicle to Chromepet. The lorry driver had delivered a load of stones to a site in Thiruvottiyur and was on his way to reload when the mishap occurred.

All three pickup vehicles crushed in the incident belong to a timber shop parked in the service lane.  A CCTV grab which the City Police accessed showcased a fortunate autorickshaw passed by the spot where the lorry nose-dived, escaped being trapped by a whisker. The autorickshaw driver identified as Ravikumar, rescued the lorry driver and rushed him to the Government Royapettah Hospital with the help of 108 service, and cops.

Ravikumar narrated his harrowing experience to the media. "I entered the service lane after I dropped my customer at Park Hotel. A loud crashing noise overhead triggered me to drive the auto faster. In a fraction, a portion of the concrete fell on the passenger seat of my vehicle, damaging the roof. I pulled over, and ran for my safety. I saw the lorry crashing down on the vehicles parked on the service lane," he said.

The vehicle was removed to facilitate traffic later in the morning. Pondy Bazaar traffic police had registered a case under sections 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way), 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code.