A Bendigo truck driver has had an incredibly lucky escape after his semi-trailer plummeted 20 metres off a bridge on the Calder highway near Malmsbury early Wednesday morning.
The driver, 36, became trapped in his crushed cabin after the semi’s trailer landed on top of it.
“For someone to hit a concrete pillar at 100 km an hour, then fall 20 metres into a creek, then have a 20 tonne trailer crash on his cabin and survive with relatively minor injuries is triply lucky,” investigating, Leading Senior Constable Peter Dyer of Bendigo Highway Patrol said.
Castlemaine SES volunteers who attended the early morning crash scene have spoken of the difficulties encountered in reaching the trapped driver before using jaws of life equipment to free him.
Castlemaine SES deputy controller Daniel Bone said they were alerted to the accident about 5.45am after the empty north-bound rig lost control while crossing a bridge just north of Boundary Road, Malmsbury.
“It was extraordinary. The truck plummeted off the bridge and the trailer landed on top of the cab with the driver trapped inside,” he said.
“It was extremely difficult to access.” Read more in today’s Mail.
