One dead, at least 4 hurt as Skyway steel bar falls on 6 vehicles
One person died and at least four were injured when a steel bar from the ongoing Skyway project fell on six vehicles on Saturday morning in Muntinlupa City.
“At 8:50 this morning, a crane that was being positioned for its next task tilted and fell on the girder spanning the two posts of the north-bound Skyway extension project,” EEI Corp., the contractor for Skyway extension project, said in a statement.
“The girder fell on vehicles below, killing at least one and injuring at least four persons who were rushed by ambulances from the Skyway O&M Corp. and EEI to various hospitals,” EEI said.
The accident occurred on East Service Road, according to a report by Luisito Santos on Dobol B sa News TV.
The steel bar fell on three vehicles and three motorcycles.
According to Erwin Alfonso, head of the Muntinlupa City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, four people were rushed to the hospital due to injuries.
Bumigay ang boom crane nang di kayanin ang load nito at bumagsak sa ilang sasakyan sa ginagawang Skyway project sa bahagi ng East Service Road na nasasakupan ng Barangay Cupang. ????: DDRM Rescue Team
Posted by Muntinlupa City Department of Disaster Resilience and Management on Friday, November 20, 2020
“We are monitoring the progress of the injured and are trying to get in touch with their next of kin for proper coordination and to extend any assistance they may need,” EEI said.
“Our hearts and prayers go with the affected families. This is an unfortunate and heart-breaking accident that must not happen again. We will review immediately our safety and operating protocols as we build a strategic infrastructure for the public’s convenience,” it said.
The CDRRMO has already sent equipment to clear the road of the affected vehicles.
The accident caused heavy traffic in the area.
“We are now clearing the affected area to restore traffic flow. Updates will be released as new and material information becomes available,” EEI said.
In an interview on Dobol sa News TV, Muntinlupa City Public Information Office head Tess Navarro said authorities are still determining if there were others who got affected by the accident.
For his part, Muntinlupa City Traffic Management Bureau chief Danidon Nolasco said heavy traffic is being experienced on the East Service Road from Muntinlupa all the way to Sucat, Paranaque due to the incident.
“Totally closed ang East Service Road both northbound and southbound,” Nolasco said.
“Maaaring dumaan sa West Service Road, Alabang-Zapote Road at Manuel L. Quezon, SLEX (NB) bilang alternatibong road,” he added.
VIDEO: East Service Road sa Muntinlupa City, sarado na sa mga motorista matapos bumagsak ang isang metal frame ng ginagawang Skyway Project. | via @luisitosantos03 pic.twitter.com/K9FJymsoUq
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) November 21, 2020
Apart from the steel frame of the ongoing Skyway Extension project, the boom crane used for its construction also fell and needed to be removed immediately.
“Kailangan ng mga heavy equipment para maialis ang bumagsak na bahagi ng Skyway,” he said.
Due to the incident, the completion of the P10-billion project has been pushed back by two months, to February 2021. —Ted Cordero/KG/MDM, GMA News