3 dead, 10 injured in 6-vehicle pileup in Marikina

Three people were killed while 10 others were injured following a six-vehicle pileup caused by a trailer truck that overturned in Barangay Fortune, Marikina City Wednesday evening.

According to an Unang Balita report by EJ Gomez on Thursday, the Marikina Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) said that the incident happened at 10 p.m. when the trailer truck had a mishap colliding and leaning on other vehicles, including two passenger jeepneys, two cars, and one SUV.

"Base sa initial investigation po, ito pong 40-footer, paakyat po siya rito sa steepy part po nitong kalsadang ito. Unfortunately, parang hindi po kinaya at umatras po siya hanggang sa nagsyete po 'yung kaniyang truck at 'yung mga kasunod po niyang sasakyan ang naatrasan at na-damage po niya," said Marikina DRRMO chief Dave David.

(Based on initial investigation, this 40-footer was going up the steep part of the road. Unfortunately, it appeared like it was not able to handle it, went in reverse, overturned and collided and damaged the vehicles behind it.)

One of the cars was crushed due to the impact of its collision with the trailer truck. Two victims who died had been retrieved.

More than six hours after the accident, the third victim, who was the driver of the jeep that was hit by the overturned trailer truck, was retrieved.

Rescue and retrieval operations went difficult, as the jeepney driver who was pulled out from under the vehicle was trapped, according to the search and rescue unit of the Marikina Bureau of Fire Protection.

Several survivors recounted the accident.

"Nakita ko na nakahinto 'yung container van na 'yan. Nu'ng naramdaman namin na umatras, nag-atrasan na kami. Ang bilis eh, sunod-sunod na. Kasi pagbangga ng mga sasakyan sa harapan ko, tumalsik na sa akin 'yung bubog. Tapos umikot-ikot kami. Pumikit na ako, akala ko sabi ko 'Wala na, patay na," said Roger Cadigoy, one of survivors from the incident.

(I saw that the container van had stopped. When we felt it reversing, we also went backwards. It went so fast, it was one after another. As the cars in front of me crashed, glass splashed on me. Then we spun around. I closed my eyes, I thought I said 'It's gone, I'm dead.')

"Malakas po. Pinilit ko na lang iliko 'yung manibela para lang makaiwas kami sa gitgitan ng sasakyan na tumama sa amin. Buti na lang nakaligtas kami lahat eh. Akala ko talagang patay na kami," said Ryan Moral, another survivor.

(The impact was strong. I had to turn the steering wheel just to avoid the impact of the car that hit us. Luckily, we all survived. I thought we were really dead.)

The trailer truck driver is currently under the custody of the Marikina City Police, and is facing charges of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and multiple injury with multiple damage to property.

LGU personnel held a cleanup operation so that the road where the accident occurred may be passable again.—Jamil Santos/AOL, GMA Integrated News