Newcastle Truck Driver Encounters Narrow Escape as Bridge Collapses Over Him

Saturday March 7, 2009

Truck driver from Thornton near Newcastle survived a footbridge crashing down on his truck at Maitland after a cherry picker on a semitrailer hit the overpass on Thursday.

"I thought I was gone," Mr Gould told the Newcastle Herald.

Police said the five people involved were lucky they were killed after the footbridge on the New England Highway crashed onto two trucks and a four-wheel-drive.

Only one person was taken to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle but discharged the same day.

Despite the high impact, only one person needed treatment and was discharged from John Hunter Hospital early yesterday afternoon.

"I've got a bit of a headache but luckily nothing else," Mr Gould said in the report. "I turn 55 in July and I tell you what, I didn't think I was going to make it to July."

"The noise was incredible. I was standing on the brakes and I thought it was rolling towards me," he said. "I thought I was gone."

Police said the fact the event did not turn into a larger catastrophe were slim due to the amount of traffic that usually passes through the highway near Newcastle.

"It is usual for the pedestrian overpass to have some traffic on it at this time of day," Central Hunter police duty officer Chief Inspector Dave Robinson said in the Newcastle Herald.

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