A heavy truck transporting a load of steel coil has had its semi-trailer hazardously snap in the middle during Auckland peak-hour traffic.
The accident occurred mid-journey on Great South Rd, Penrose, just before 8am today.
A witness at the scene shortly after the accident said the truck driver acted promptly to ensure the safety of other drivers: "The driver was quite quick about it, as soon as it happened he got the truck off the road and onto the footpath."
"I didn't actually see it or hear it but walked out of the lunch bar and saw the wheels on the trailer up in the air."
Mackleys Transport General Manager Layne Sefton said this kind of malfunction was unprecedented in his memory of owning trucks.
"It's the first time I've ever encountered anything like this," Mr Sefton said.
"I don't believe there's a wider safety issue. It's a bit too early to tell what caused it though."
Mr Sefton said engineers are currently investigating what caused the semi-trailer snap, but that it was not overloaded, with its load of six rolls of steel coil.
The trailer itself was made by TMC Trailers.
Mr Sefton said the scene of the accident on Great South Rd has been completely cleaned, and the truck removed from the street.
SHARE ME