Truck's loose crane causes chaos

A truck with a loose crane aboard brought havoc to a Whangarei street yesterday.

The truck driver was travelling along Okara Drive around midday when the hiab crane on the deck came loose, smashing into six parked cars.

One car was written off, the rear end of another was demolished, and windows were smashed and panels bent in others.

With his head in his hands, the truck driver said he just wanted to go home and "ease off a bit".

The man, who did not want to be named, said the "pin must have broken off and the arm swung out, and this is what happened".

"I didn't hear anything, but I felt the force of the last two cars. It could've killed someone - that's how I feel."

The owner of one of the damaged cars, Pam Erceg, said her car was probably a write-off. "But still, no one was hurt and that's the main thing. I just feel sorry for the fella who was driving."

Whangarei Constable Kevin Crawford said it was too early to say if charges would be laid.

The hiab would first be inspected to see if the arm came loose as a result of mechanical failure or human error, he said.

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)