Overloaded truck topples off Lethem Trail bridge … driver dies

Jul 02, 2011 News

This one crashed through the bridge

Thursday was apparently a ‘bad bridge’ day on the Lethem trail. Two accidents with large trucks occurred, one of them resulting in a fatality.
The first and most serious incident occurred shortly before sunrise at a bridge near the Surama Junction. While the truck driver was crossing, one of the lengthwise planks at the edge of the bridge gave way and the truck slipped off the bridge and into the creek below.
The driver, Ozario Khan, was pinned under the water and died before assistance could be rendered. Reports indicate that his body was removed and taken to the Lethem Morgue.
According to sources the truck was heavily laden to the extent that it may have been overloaded. Residents say that this has been a common occurrence in recent days as the demand for goods in Lethem and the surrounding areas is currently very high.
The communities were cut off during the floods. The demand encourages some truckers to take exceptional risks as in this case.
The issue, however, is that these bridges have a weight limit and in situations where that limit is exceeded the consequences can be disastrous such as this one or plain inconveniencing such as the second incident.
Further down the road at Moco Moco Junction another heavily laden truck