Cargo falls from truck on Chuo Expressway; 10-plus vehicles collide, two hurt
In short
A truck's load of construction material fell onto the upbound line of the Chuo Expressway in Maki, Otsuki City, Yamanashi Prefecture, around 18:40 on October 5, and following vehicles collided with it. Two people were injured, according to fire officials, and Nippon TV News reported that a man and a woman in their 50s were taken to a hospital in Tsuru City. The closed section of the expressway was reopened at 22:30, TBS NEWS DIG reported, and police are questioning the truck driver.
Why it matters
The collision closed part of the upbound line of the Chuo Expressway until 22:30, disrupting traffic through Yamanashi Prefecture, according to TBS NEWS DIG. Nippon TV News reports that police are examining whether the load was properly secured, which puts the focus on cargo safety rules as well as on the collision itself. No deaths have been reported, and no outlet gives the severity of the two injuries.
Key facts
- Around 18:40 on October 5, materials fell from a truck onto the upbound line of the Chuo Expressway in Maki, Otsuki City, Yamanashi Prefecture, and following vehicles collided with the fallen objects, according to police. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Nippon TV News reported that more than 10 steel items used to build scaffolding fell after the load touched a guardrail, that 10-odd following vehicles collided one after another, and that one vehicle overturned. [ 1 ]
- A man and a woman in their 50s were taken to a hospital in Tsuru City and appeared to be injured, Nippon TV News reported; fire officials told TBS NEWS DIG that two people were injured. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The closed section of the expressway was reopened at 22:30, according to TBS NEWS DIG. [ 2 ]
- Yahoo! News Japan reported that 12 vehicles were involved, including passenger cars whose drivers tried to avoid steel pipes that fell from the truck. [ 3 ]
- Police are questioning the truck driver and are investigating a possible violation of the Road Traffic Law obligation to prevent falling loads, Nippon TV News reported. [ 1 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- The number of vehicles involved differs between outlets: Nippon TV News and TBS NEWS DIG say 10-odd following vehicles collided with the fallen material, while Yahoo! News Japan says 12 vehicles, including cars that tried to avoid it, were involved. The counts disagree and the 12-vehicle figure comes from a single, lower-tier outlet; the documents do not reconcile them.
- What fell from the truck is described differently: Nippon TV News says more than 10 steel items used for construction scaffolding, while Yahoo! News Japan says steel pipes. Single-source description that differs from the other outlets' wording.
- The time the expressway reopened, 22:30, is reported only by TBS NEWS DIG. Single-source claim; no other document states a reopening time.
- The condition of the two people taken to hospital is not established: Nippon TV News says they appeared to be injured, and no outlet reports the severity of the injuries or any charges against the driver. The documents give no detail beyond the number of people hurt and leave the investigation open.