Coffins on the road snag traffic in NLEX near Pulilan Exit

(Screengrab from the Facebook video or NOEL LUARTES)

MANILA, Philippines — Two coffins fell onto the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) near the Pulilan Exit in Bulacan, causing minor traffic on Tuesday evening.

Motorist Noel Luartes, who witnessed the incident at around 7 p.m., said he was driving home with his family when they saw the coffins on the road.

“Sa San Fernando po ako galing. Pauwi na po ako ng Pulilan, Bulacan kasama po family ko nung nakita po namin yung mga kabaong,” Luartes told INQUIRER.net in an interview on Wednesday.

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(I was coming from San Fernando, heading home to Pulilan, Bulacan with my family when we saw the coffins.)

He noted that the coffins on the road appeared to have fallen from an FB-type van.

“Parang L300 po, nakasakay sa top ‘yung kabaong,” Luartes said.

(It looked like an L300 van, with the coffins loaded on top.)

According to the NLEX management, the coffins on the road were found near the Candaba 3rd Viaduct going southbound.

“Walang laman ‘yung kabaong. Naitabi naman namin agad and binalikan din nung driver,” NLEX Traffic Operations Head Robin Ignacio said.

(The coffins were empty. We were able to set them aside, and the driver later returned to claim them.)

READ: NLEx Candaba Viaduct to reopen by Dec. 11

He added that the coffins that fell from the van hit an SUV.

“Pinuntahan naman nung driver na nag-claim nung kabaong. Nag-usap sila doon. Nag-meet sila sa isang rest and refuel area namin,” he noted.

(The driver who claimed the coffins approached the SUV driver. They talked and met at one of our rest and refuel areas.)

.The two parties reached an agreement, and the matter of the damage to the SUV has already been settled, the NLEX management added.