VIDEO: One killed as overpass collapses on busy Istanbul highway: Police chief
ISTANBUL
A pedestrian overpass on Istanbul’s E-5 highway collapsed in the Avcılar district during morning rush hour Sept 3.
One person was killed and four others were injured after a pedestrian overpass on Istanbul’s busy E-5 highway collapsed in the Avcılar district during the morning rush hour on Sept. 3.
The accident took place after the dump of a truck carrying liquid glucose hit the overpass.
Initial reports mentioned two dead, but Istanbul Police Chief Selami Altınok later revised the number of casualties, saying one person had been killed and four were injured in the accident. Earlier, Avcılar Mayor Handan Toprak was quoted as saying that two people had been killed.
Police took safety measures after fuel leaked from the damaged gas tank of the truck. Ambulances and firefighters were also immediately rushed to the scene.
An eyewitness said the driver told police in his first statement at the scene that the command panel of the dump truck was not working. "My finger was on the button, but I couldn't lower it," he reportedly said.
Noting that a similar accident had occurred in the same district two years ago, Toprak said any negligence that led to the collapse would be investigated. “All will be done for those responsible to be punished,” she was quoted as saying by CNNTürk.
The accident that caused the collapse was captured on traffic cameras on the highway:
