An overloaded truck crashed into a scaffold of an overpass construction near the Saigon River Tunnel, also known as Thu Thiem Tunnel, on Monday, blocking traffic not only on the road running through the structure but also multiple major streets nearby.
The truck, whose license plate number is 64C – 027.34, was carrying oranges along Vo Van Kiet Street from District 1 to District 2 at around 5:00 am on Monday.
After exiting the Thu Thiem Tunnel, which connects the two districts by going under the Saigon River, the top of the truck pulled down the scaffolding of an overpass construction, causing the entire road to be blocked.
One motorcyclist was injured and later admitted to the hospital for emergency treatment.
Following the incident, the truck fled the scene and headed towards the expressway connecting Ho Chi Minh City and the southern province of Dong Nai.
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| Competent authorities deal with the problem. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
Competent authorities had to barricade both entrance of the tunnel in order to deal with the problem.
Residents were forced to take a detour to Thu Thiem Bridge during their morning commute, resulting in heavy congestion on such streets as Vo Van Kiet and Ton Duc Thang in District 1, Nguyen Huu Canh in Binh Thanh District, and Mai Chi Tho in District 2.
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| Thu Thiem Tunnel is blocked due to the incident. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
Many traffic police officers were mobilized to control traffic in these areas.
As of 10:00 am on the same day, Thu Thiem tunnel was cleared, which helped alleviate the gridlocks.
Officers are extracting footage from surveillance cameras to probe the case.
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| Heavy congestion near the Thu Thiem Bridge on October 15, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
Open in late 2011, the Saigon River Tunnel is a significant structure linking District 2 with downtown Ho Chi Minh City.
More than 47,000 automobiles and 250,000 motorbikes travel through the tunnel on a daily basis.
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| Heavy congestion near the Thu Thiem Bridge on October 15, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
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| Officers control traffic near the tunnel. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
