I wonder how this happened - A12 tragic accident - Fishermans Bend

metro.co.uk/2017/02/09/lorry-explodes-after-fallin.../

I wonder how this happened - A12 tragic accident - sandy56

1- drink

2- on the phone

3-watching tv

4-texting

My bet is he was on the phone.

I wonder how this happened - A12 tragic accident - Wackyracer

Another sensationally wrong news headline, "Exploded" - None of the eye witnesses described an explosion.

As the driver was a local chap to that area he would have been familiar with that bit of road and the junction. Maybe he had some kind of medical episode, a black out or such?

I've driven HGV's for a few decades and a few collegues have died at the wheel in that time.

I wonder how this happened - A12 tragic accident - oldroverboy.

Another sensationally wrong news headline, "Exploded" - None of the eye witnesses described an explosion.

The truck was carrying "connected batteries" so 20 tons of batteries breaking up and shorting..

There was another one a few weeks ago where a truck was hanging over the roundabout on an M25 junction .....

Anyway, i am sure that tacographs, health and phone udage will all be examined, but nonetheless, a sad loss of a life.. "where is my so/boyfriend/daddy?"

Edited by oldroverboy. on 09/02/2017 at 19:40

I wonder how this happened - A12 tragic accident - Soichiro
According to the news nobody died.
I wonder how this happened - A12 tragic accident - Wackyracer
According to the news nobody died.

Essex Police said the driver, a man in his 30s, was pronounced dead shortly after the crash by the ambulance service.

I wonder how this happened - A12 tragic accident - Soichiro
Apologies just read the BBC news coverage and it does indeed say that the driver died.
The metro link doesn't say so.
I wonder how this happened - A12 tragic accident - Galaxy

I drove past the site of this terrible accident about 15 minutes ago. The A12 has now been opened, but only just. It's down to one lane in the vicinity of the accident site with a 50mph speed limit enforced.

I did drive past this morning, too, using the northbound carriageway which was actually open. Traffic was much lighter than I expected because I think most people seemed to think the whole road was closed, but that wasn't correct. There were a large number of emergency and other vehicles in the vicinity of the accident site but you couldn't see very much because large green screens had been errected. Just as well they had been, actually, otherwise i'm sure there would have been further accidents caused by people on the open carriageway rubbernecking.

I wonder how this happened - A12 tragic accident - jc2

Still only half open-HUGE tailbacks!

I wonder how this happened - A12 tragic accident - jc2

The removal of the wreckage is slow as the police now think there may be more bodies in the wreckage(Essex Radio).Also the lorry driver was a man in his thirties from Witham.

Edited by jc2 on 10/02/2017 at 08:20

I wonder how this happened - A12 tragic accident - sandy56

The big delay seems to be due to the load containing large industrial batteries, with lots of spilled chemicals.

I wonder how this happened - A12 tragic accident - corax

I did drive past this morning, too, using the northbound carriageway which was actually open. Traffic was much lighter than I expected because I think most people seemed to think the whole road was closed, but that wasn't correct.

I think people take the safest option if not sure about the information. The last thing you want is to get stuck on the A12 for hours, which has a terrible reputation for hold ups at the best of times. When you see the daily standard of driving, it's amazing that there aren't more accidents.

I wonder how this happened - A12 tragic accident - pd

The bridge it came off is one which feeds from the slip road exiting the A12 and is also just past a relatively sharp bend.

It seems likely that he exited the A12 to Witham and then the lorry lost grip, jackknifed or something similar on the bend on the slip road - either because he was going too fast, the load shifted, he lost grip or whatever.

The initial assumption in most cases would be that he simply came off the A12 too quickly onto the slip road and didn't "make" the bend but as a local person he probably knew the junction well which leads one to wonder if the heavy batteries were the issue and it jackknifed.

Horrible accident whatever the reason and could have been 10x worse.

Edited by pd on 10/02/2017 at 10:22

I wonder how this happened - A12 tragic accident - Avant

I think we need to be a bit careful when someone has died as in this case: it's just possible that a colleague or friend of the deceased might look at this forum and be upset by the speculation as to the cause of death.

If, say, he skidded unavoidably on a patch of ice, or oil, or his load shifted, and was suspected of having been on his mobile, that could be distressing.

Edited by Avant on 10/02/2017 at 12:19

I wonder how this happened - A12 tragic accident - Galaxy

We simply do not know the cause of this terrible accident. However, I'm quite sure that all aspects will be thoroughly investigated by the relevant authorities.

The only real new information I've heard on the radio this morning is that the HGV had apparently just left the premises of an establishment which services and repairs HGV's and vans. This may be relevant to the investigation of what happened or it may not.

I wonder how this happened - A12 tragic accident - Fishermans Bend

Avant, when I posted this I'm sorry I was unaware the driver had died.

I wonder how this happened - A12 tragic accident - oldroverboy.

I think we need to be a bit careful when someone has died as in this case: it's just possible that a colleague or friend of the deceased might look at this forum and be upset by the speculation as to the cause of death.

If, say, he skidded unavoidably on a patch of ice, or oil, or his load shifted, and was suspected of having been on his mobile, that could be distressing.

There is, (sadly) always speculation.

I am sure it will be properly investigated, and as I posted earlier, remember someone has lost a son/daddy/partner....

perhaps time to close this particular thread.

I wonder how this happened - A12 tragic accident - Fishermans Bend

There is, (sadly) always speculation.

I am sure it will be properly investigated, and as I posted earlier, remember someone has lost a son/daddy/partner....

perhaps time to close this particular thread.

ORB, I agree.