5 dead as trailer truck crushes van in Nasugbu

MANILA, Philippines – Five people were killed when a trailer truck crashed into their van in Barangay Aga, Nasugbu, Batangas, on Tuesday, September 19.

Alex Pimentel, head of the Nasugbu Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO), said the trailer truck came from Tagaytay City, while the victims’ Starex van was Manila-bound.

“According to some barangay witnesses, the [truck] lost control and crashed head-on to the Starex [causing] them to plunge [into] the canal,” Pimentel told Rappler in a phone interview.

Rescuers took 15 hours to retrieve the bodies from the crushed vehicle – from 4 pm on Tuesday to 7 am on Wednesday, September 20.

The victims were identified as husband and wife, their driver, and two house helpers.

Pimentel said the operation took a long time because the van was flattened when the truck landed on top of it as they fell into the ravine. Rescuers had to use hydraulic machines to lift the truck.

He added that they also had to be extra careful because one wrong move could cause the truck to fall on them.

The truck driver and his assistant only sustained minor injuries. Charges will be filed against them.

The national highway in Barangay Aga, where the crash happened, is known as a crash-prone area. Vehicles often go downhill at high speeds.

Vehicle crashes, said Pimentel, is the third leading cause of deaths or damage to property in Nasugbu.

He advised motorists to be alert on the road and familiarize themselves with their planned route beforehand, to prevent crashes.

The Nasugbu DRRMO partnered with the local office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) there to improve the visibility of road signs and install rumble strips, which could lessen the number of crashes. – Rappler.com