2018 Lanzhou toll accident explained

The 2018 Lanzhou toll crash was caused by a truck driver losing control of his vehicle and driving into a line of waiting cars in Lanzhou, China on November 3, 2018. According to local sources, 15 people were killed and another 44 injured in the 31 vehicle crash.[1] The crash came about a week after the Chongqing bus crash.[2]

Incident

At 7:21 pm local time (11:20 GMT) on November 3, the 45-year-old truck driver from the Liaoning province crashed a tower-crane truck into a line of 31 vehicles about 50 meters from the Lanzhou South Toll Station on the Lanzhou-Haikou expressway.[3] The section of the highway connects Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu and Haikou, the capital of Hainan. The truck driver was slightly injured in the crash, and was detained by police in order to begin the investigation into the crash. Local media has reported that the driver has claimed that the brakes of the vehicle had failed, and the lack of control had caused the crash. CCTV of the area, documented the crash and its aftermath, along with the heavy snow that the area was experiencing.[4]

Victims

Ten of the forty-four injured sustained serious injuries, and fifteen people were reportedly killed.[5]

References

  1. Web site: Death toll in NW China pile-up rises to 15 - Xinhua English.news.cn. https://web.archive.org/web/20181104122111/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-11/04/c_137580803.htm. dead. November 4, 2018. www.xinhuanet.com. 2018-11-06.
  2. News: At least 14 killed, dozens more injured in vehicle pile-up in China. November 4, 2018. CBS NEWS. 2018-11-06. en.
  3. Web site: Truck driver behind Lanzhou highway accident detained- China.org.cn. 马玉佳. www.china.org.cn. 2018-11-06.
  4. News: 15 killed as truck hits 31-car lineup in China. Channel NewsAsia. 2018-11-06. en-US.
  5. News: China lorry in deadly toll station crash. 2018-11-04. BBC News. 2018-11-06. en-GB.