A truck carrying concrete slabs caused significant disruption on South Australia's North-South Motorway on Friday when two heavy slabs fell from its load, colliding with parked vehicles and injuring three individuals. The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. on the highway at Bolivar, in Adelaide's northern suburbs, as the heavy goods vehicle was merging lanes.
The two 15-ton slabs landed on the road in a large cloud of dust. They then struck three cars that were parked on the hard shoulder, sending them into two people who had stopped to attend to a vehicle breakdown. Authorities expressed surprise that no fatalities occurred.
One person was transported to the hospital with a suspected broken arm, and two others sustained minor injuries. South Australia Police stated that investigations into the crash are ongoing. The police spokesperson emphasized the shared responsibility of all road users for safety and advised motorists to give heavy vehicles adequate space. Drivers transporting loads were reminded to ensure their cargo is properly secured before travel.
The incident led to substantial traffic delays, with queues stretching over half a mile as emergency services worked to clear the wreckage and recover the vehicles. The chaotic scene was captured on camera, showing dust and debris covering the highway.