An extraordinary event occurred this morning in New South Wales, Australia, when a truck spilled metal scrap on a highway, leading to traffic jams during the morning rush. The sharp metal damaged hundreds of tires, completely halting traffic.
The truck was traveling southbound on the M1 Pacific Highway around 5:00 a.m. when, according to preliminary data, the rear doors of the trailer failed. The driver, not noticing the problem, continued the journey, scattering metal debris over 30 kilometers of road between the towns of Wyee and Moonee Moonee north of Sydney.
Subsequent vehicles drove over the scattered parts. Some vehicles sustained damage to all four wheels. According to official data, over 350 cars were affected, many of which were unable to continue for a long time. Police do not rule out that the number of victims may increase as drivers discover damage later.
The incident occurred on the eve of the morning peak, which significantly complicated the situation. Law enforcement was forced to close a section of the M1 for 10 hours to carry out emergency work.
In total, about 750 kg of metal waste ended up on the road, significantly complicating the cleanup process. Special equipment with magnets was used to eliminate the consequences.
The transport company NJ Ashton confirmed that the incident involved their vehicle. A company statement said: “We take full responsibility for what happened and sincerely apologize for the damages and inconveniences caused.”
A company representative stated in an interview with the media that insurance would cover all damages. As a gesture of goodwill, free lunches were offered to the victims.
An experienced driver claimed that the cargo was securely fastened before departure, so the cause could have been a technical malfunction. The company is participating in the investigation: “At the moment, we cannot determine the exact cause. Everything points to an accident.”
Fortunately, despite the extensive damage to the vehicles, none of the incident participants were injured.