A 40-foot trailer truck carrying 1,000 sacks of rice crashed into a concrete barrier and tipped over along Mel Lopez Boulevard in Manila on Wednesday afternoon, causing significant traffic delays. The driver reported that the truck in front of him made a sudden stop, forcing him to swerve to avoid a sedan, which led to the crash.
The impact damaged the truck’s front end and shattered its windshield, though the rice cargo remained intact. MMDA Traffic Aide Jonathan Idue explained that the truck lost balance due to its heavy load while avoiding the sedan.
The driver sustained minor injuries and was taken to the hospital. The truck’s owner dispatched engineers to assess the situation and plan the vehicle’s removal from the site. Traffic authorities opened a zipper lane on the southbound side to alleviate congestion, as only one northbound lane remained open.