Emiliano Quimco, the driver of trailer truck, was trapped at his seat during the vehicular accident at Marcelo Fernan bridge. Rescuers used a hydraulic splitter to free the driver. (CDN PHOTO/NORMAN MENDOZA)
One person died and 10 people were injured when a tractor head collided with an Isuzu Elf truck at the Marcelo Fernan Bridge, at 10 a.m. yesterday.
PO3 Melvin Leones, field traffic investigator of the Mandaue City Police Office’s Traffic Management Unit (TMU), identified the victim as Erlinda Caburnay who was seated on the front seat of the Isuzu Elf truck.
Leones said Caburnay’s daughter told them that her mother died due to severe injuries an hour after being admitted at the Mactan Doctors Hospital.
He said the Isuzu Elf truck bearing plate number YCE 513 driven by 42-year-old Armando Asentista carried nine workers bound for Cordova town.
The two vehicles passed through the bridge’s right lane with Asentista headed to UN Avenue when the Elf truck was hit on its rear by the Prime Mover which then slammed into a center island before rolling thrice.
Traffic congestion
The collision caused the Isuzu Elf truck to overturn and land on the opposite lane of the bridge.
Other passengers on board the Elf truck were Feliciano Baculi, 49, Maloy Flores, 23, Ritch Karl Debebar, 15, Jer Cabarada, 22, Sedro Labay, 49, Jral Beiz Malig-on, 25, Goven Andrew Manaba, 35, all from Banawa, Cebu City and Aguine Mortalla, 32, Graham Godinez, 32, of Banilad, Mandaue City.
The Prime Mover bearing plate number GVY 720 was driven by 22-year-old Emiliano Quimco Jr., who said he avoided a passenger jeepney that suddenly cut across his path.
The passengers who were mostly landscape workers contracted by a hotel in Cordova town were thrown out of the truck and sustained several injuries.
They were brought to Lapu-Lapu City Hospital and Mandaue District Hospital.
Mandaue City traffic personnel had to use a jackhammer to free Quimco, who was trapped in the driver’s seat and had a broken leg.
Quimco was brought to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.
The collision caused an hour-long traffic jam at ML Quezon Highway in Lapu-Lapu City and Mandaue City’s Plaridel St., and UN Avenue.
Motorists were diverted to the old Mandaue-Mactan bridge after an oil spill from the Isuzu Elf truck.