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Probers: Florida bus crash caused by mechanical failure
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(Updated 6:23 p.m.) A faulty emergency brake and the absence of an exhaust brake.
These were among the defects investigators found on the ill-fated passenger bus that plunged into a ravine last Friday in Bontoc, Mt. Province, killing 14 people and injuring 32 others.
A report on GMA News TV's "Balita Pilipinas" on Monday said investigators ruled that the accident was caused by mechanical failure after they went to the crash site and inspected the bus.
The investigating team was composed of local police and mechanics from the auto equipment inspection of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the report said.
The report said the mechanics first checked the engine and the lower part of the bus, which remained intact except for the disaligned wheels.
Further inspection, however, showed that there was a problem with the emergency brake. The mechanics also discovered that the bus—owned and operated by GV Florida—had no exhaust brake.
An exhaust brake closes off the exhaust manifold from the engine through a valve, creating huge amounts of backpressure in the cylinders, which then slows the pistons down and eventually slows the engine down.
An emergency brake, meanwhile, helps prevent rollback when starting on a hill or steep area. It is not powered by hydraulics and independent of the service brakes used to slow and stop vehicles.
The report said investigators saw skid marks at the portion of the Banaue-Bontoc national highway where the bus came, proof that its brake failed.
The bus was plying the highway from Banaue going to Kalinga when the mechanical problem occurred. The tires also exploded when it caught a protruding steel from the gutter of the highway.
The report said bus driver Edgar Renon admitted that he had a problem with the brakes, although he denied that he was sleepy when the accident happened.
Charges of multiple homicide and physical injuries will be filed against Renon, who is still recuperating in the hospital, the report said.
Maxi Brake system
Lawyer Alex Versoza, lead counsel for the bus company, earlier said the accident was not caused by faulty brakes, but by human error. He said the bus had a braking system designed to automatically stop the vehicle in case the brakes fail.
“[Dahil sa] technology na Maxi Brake, hindi mawawalan ng preno ['yung bus], kasi 'yung technology na ‘yan, 'pag nagka-depekto, ila-lock nung mekanismo 'yung brake at titigil 'yung bus,” Verzosa said.
The lawyer said the existence of the braking system disproves the theory that the bus fell down a ravine in Bontoc, Mountain Province because it lost its brakes.
“Hindi tugma, technically, yung sinasabi ng iba na nawalan ng preno [‘yung bus],” he said.
Verzosa said the accident was most likely caused by the bus driver miscalculating the sharpness of the road’s curve because of heavy fog.
“It’s a one-lane road at super kapal daw 'yung fog early in the morning. Nagkaroon ng miscalculation doon sa kurbada,” he said.
GV Florida
The Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has imposed a 30-day preventive suspension on all 228 buses in the Florida Transport fleet. The units also underwent roadworthiness testing.
In an interview with News To Go Monday, LTFRB executive director Roberto Cabrera admitted they were not able to inspect the buses of GV Florida.
“Before nangyari ito, umiikot na yung LTFRB sa iba pang terminal. Napakarami lang po, inabot lang po kami. Hindi pa namin na-inspection. Unfortunately the accident happened before we could inspect,” he said.
He said there will be no shortage of buses plying the Bontoc route as the agency is ready to grant special permits to other bus companies.
“The LTFRB is willing and able to grant special permits to other companies kung talagang may shortage ng bus na nagta-traverse sa routes na ito, para mapunuan ang pangangailangan ng publiko,” he said.
No road construction
Meanwhile, the DPWH offices in Mt. Province and Cordillera Administrative Region denied the claim of Versoza that the accident happened when the driver avoided a road repair on the highway.
Fred Siasitao, engineer II at DPWH Mt Province, told GMA News Online over the phone that no road construction project was ongoing in the area.
In a separate phone interview, Juliet Aban, public information officer at DPWH CAR, confirmed Siasitao's statement, adding if there was road construction in the area, there would have been warning signs telling the drivers to slow down.
“Nung last na na-inspection ko yung lugar [ay] konkreto 'yun, walang lubak, maganda 'yung kalsada,” she said.
She added that the part of the highway where the incident happened was not an accident prone area. — Amita Legaspi/KBK/ELR, GMA News
These were among the defects investigators found on the ill-fated passenger bus that plunged into a ravine last Friday in Bontoc, Mt. Province, killing 14 people and injuring 32 others.
A report on GMA News TV's "Balita Pilipinas" on Monday said investigators ruled that the accident was caused by mechanical failure after they went to the crash site and inspected the bus.
The investigating team was composed of local police and mechanics from the auto equipment inspection of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the report said.
The report said the mechanics first checked the engine and the lower part of the bus, which remained intact except for the disaligned wheels.
Further inspection, however, showed that there was a problem with the emergency brake. The mechanics also discovered that the bus—owned and operated by GV Florida—had no exhaust brake.
An exhaust brake closes off the exhaust manifold from the engine through a valve, creating huge amounts of backpressure in the cylinders, which then slows the pistons down and eventually slows the engine down.
An emergency brake, meanwhile, helps prevent rollback when starting on a hill or steep area. It is not powered by hydraulics and independent of the service brakes used to slow and stop vehicles.
The report said investigators saw skid marks at the portion of the Banaue-Bontoc national highway where the bus came, proof that its brake failed.
The bus was plying the highway from Banaue going to Kalinga when the mechanical problem occurred. The tires also exploded when it caught a protruding steel from the gutter of the highway.
The report said bus driver Edgar Renon admitted that he had a problem with the brakes, although he denied that he was sleepy when the accident happened.
Charges of multiple homicide and physical injuries will be filed against Renon, who is still recuperating in the hospital, the report said.
Maxi Brake system
Lawyer Alex Versoza, lead counsel for the bus company, earlier said the accident was not caused by faulty brakes, but by human error. He said the bus had a braking system designed to automatically stop the vehicle in case the brakes fail.
“[Dahil sa] technology na Maxi Brake, hindi mawawalan ng preno ['yung bus], kasi 'yung technology na ‘yan, 'pag nagka-depekto, ila-lock nung mekanismo 'yung brake at titigil 'yung bus,” Verzosa said.
The lawyer said the existence of the braking system disproves the theory that the bus fell down a ravine in Bontoc, Mountain Province because it lost its brakes.
“Hindi tugma, technically, yung sinasabi ng iba na nawalan ng preno [‘yung bus],” he said.
Verzosa said the accident was most likely caused by the bus driver miscalculating the sharpness of the road’s curve because of heavy fog.
“It’s a one-lane road at super kapal daw 'yung fog early in the morning. Nagkaroon ng miscalculation doon sa kurbada,” he said.
GV Florida
The Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has imposed a 30-day preventive suspension on all 228 buses in the Florida Transport fleet. The units also underwent roadworthiness testing.
In an interview with News To Go Monday, LTFRB executive director Roberto Cabrera admitted they were not able to inspect the buses of GV Florida.
“Before nangyari ito, umiikot na yung LTFRB sa iba pang terminal. Napakarami lang po, inabot lang po kami. Hindi pa namin na-inspection. Unfortunately the accident happened before we could inspect,” he said.
He said there will be no shortage of buses plying the Bontoc route as the agency is ready to grant special permits to other bus companies.
“The LTFRB is willing and able to grant special permits to other companies kung talagang may shortage ng bus na nagta-traverse sa routes na ito, para mapunuan ang pangangailangan ng publiko,” he said.
No road construction
Meanwhile, the DPWH offices in Mt. Province and Cordillera Administrative Region denied the claim of Versoza that the accident happened when the driver avoided a road repair on the highway.
Fred Siasitao, engineer II at DPWH Mt Province, told GMA News Online over the phone that no road construction project was ongoing in the area.
In a separate phone interview, Juliet Aban, public information officer at DPWH CAR, confirmed Siasitao's statement, adding if there was road construction in the area, there would have been warning signs telling the drivers to slow down.
“Nung last na na-inspection ko yung lugar [ay] konkreto 'yun, walang lubak, maganda 'yung kalsada,” she said.
She added that the part of the highway where the incident happened was not an accident prone area. — Amita Legaspi/KBK/ELR, GMA News
Tags: bontocbuscrash
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