In an unfortunate twist of events, a gargantuan cement lorry was swallowed by the waters of a canal when the wooden bridge it traversed gave way under its colossal weight. Despite being clearly warned about proceeding, the confident 55-year-old driver from Amnat Charoen went ahead miscalculating that the bridge was propped up by sturdy concrete pillars. The clock struck half past twelve when the incident unfold itself.
The colossal, ten-wheeled leviathan, a regular sight on the roads of Samut Prakan, was found belly up in the deep waters of the Ladnam Chiao Canal. The truck was inundated with its own load, liquid cement, turning it into a sinking tank of despair. Nearby, a wooden beast once known as a bridge, now lay in shambles – a testament to the driver’s costly miscalculation. Lucky to have survived the mishap without a scratch, the driver Sombat Pholharn revealed that he was neck-deep in his task at hand – delivering cement to a workers’ camp in the vicinity of the Ladlumkaew Police Station.
Taking a cue from the workers he had rung up earlier for directions, Sombat decided to give the short route, a go. As he entered the precarious wooden bridge, signs of impending doom became evident, but turning back was not an option due to the narrow pathway. He assumed that the bridge would withstand his truck, banking on the mirage that it was reinforced with concrete.
As if on cue, the feeble bridge gave way, hurdling Sombat and his truck into the cold embrace of the canal water. But, life had other plans for Sombat, who managed to save himself by wriggling out of a door spared from the watery plunge, reports say.
An unexpected spectator of this debacle was 76 years old Sanchai Phaksa, a faithful member of the Rahaeng Subdistrict Municipality. Occupied in cutting weeds from a field, Sanchai was taken aback at the sight of the behemoth approaching. He waved at the driver indicating him of his possible fate, mentioning that the bridge was designed for lighter vehicles. In vain, his warnings fell on the deaf ears of the driver, who went ahead, subsequently causing the frail bridge to tremor and surrender, leaving behind a sunken truck and a distraught driver. Police intervention was then sought.
Quickly reaching the scene were the officers from the Ladlumkaew Police Station. They painstakingly collected all available information from the hapless driver and helpful eyewitnesses for further investigation, including photographs of the dramatic scene. The owner of the drowned truck was asked to communicate with the insurance company about the unfortunate incident. Calls were made to organise rescue services for the truck and arrangements needed for the reconstruction of the bridge.
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