In a terrifying incident that unfolded on a steep hill in Colombia, a massive dumper truck carrying 17 tonnes of cargo lost control and ploughed into a queue of stationary vehicles, causing a devastating chain-reaction crash.
The Moment of Impact
The catastrophic event occurred on November 22 in the Robledo district of Medellín, where panicked motorists sat trapped in traffic. Disturbing footage captured the enormous truck careering downhill at frightening speed, its brakes seemingly completely failed.
The out-of-control vehicle made no attempt to stop before slamming into the back of a packed line of cars. Witnesses described the truck shunting vehicles aside like small toys as it barrelled onward, crushing cars one by one while desperate screams rang out from horrified onlookers.
Aftermath and Emergency Response
The force of the impact was so tremendous that a public bus was struck with enough power to be knocked clean off the road. The bus skidded into a vacant lot, leaving a trail of twisted metal and shattered glass in its wake.
Authorities confirmed the shocking chain reaction involved 12 vehicles in total, with one car completely obliterated during the carnage. Emergency crews swarmed the scene, rushing three injured people to hospital, including the bus driver.
Police have deployed 20 officers and traffic investigators to unravel exactly what caused the disaster. Early evidence suggests a catastrophic brake failure may have left the driver helpless as the giant machine gathered deadly momentum racing downhill.
Broader Context of South American Road Safety
This devastating incident comes amid a series of terrifying road disasters across South America. Just days earlier in Brazil, incredible video showed driver Railson Souza, 48, soaring off a road and crashing down a steep staircase after a sudden headache caused him to lose control.
Miraculously, Souza was released from hospital within hours after scans revealed he hadn't broken a single bone. In Peru earlier this month, a horrific bus plunge claimed the lives of at least 37 passengers after it careered nearly 700ft into a ravine near Ocona.
Experts are now examining the wreckage and road conditions in Medellín to determine the full cause of this latest devastating smash, as questions about vehicle maintenance and road safety standards in the region continue to grow.
