Overturned truck blocks Ching Cheung Road after late-night crash

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A major traffic accident paralyzed a key Kowloon artery early Saturday morning after a heavy goods vehicle lost control and flipped over, straddling both sides of the highway.

The incident occurred around midnight today, when a 16-tonne truck transporting vegetables was traveling along Ching Cheung Road toward the New Territories.

Preliminary reports suggest the four-axle vehicle was navigating a downhill bend near Nob Hill when it lost traction on the damp road surface. 

The truck reportedly skidded and slammed into the central concrete median, spinning around before landing on its side. The force of the impact was so severe that the wreckage crushed the barrier, with the front of the vehicle protruding into the oncoming lanes heading toward Kwun Tong.

The crash site was left in a state of chaos, with debris from the shattered concrete barrier and mechanical parts strewn across the asphalt. 

The truck's windshield was completely dislodged, and its cargo of vegetables spilled out from the hold, covering a significant portion of the roadway.

The driver was initially trapped inside the mangled cabin but remained conscious throughout the ordeal. 

He was eventually freed with the assistance of bystanders before emergency services arrived. Although paramedics treated him for injuries to his limbs at the scene, the driver declined to be taken to the hospital for further evaluation.

Police cordoned off the area to conduct an investigation, leading to the temporary closure of several lanes in both directions. While the exact cause of the accident remains under investigation, authorities believe the vehicle lost control while negotiating the turn on the slick incline. 

Operations to clear the wreckage and spilled cargo continued into the early hours of the morning.