9 injured as semi-truck rear-ends vehicles at Taichung intersection

Taichung, April 27 (CNA) Nine people were injured after a runaway semi-trailer truck, apparently experiencing brake failure, slammed into over 20 vehicles stopped at an intersection in Taichung's Shalu District, local authorities said Sunday.

The Taichung Fire Bureau said it received a report at 10:13 a.m. about a large-scale car crash at the intersection of Xiangshan Road Section 7 and Pingxi Road, and immediately dispatched eight fire trucks and five ambulances to the scene.

Upon arriving at the intersection, first responders transported nine injured motorists to Kuang Tien General Hospital's Xiangshan branch. All those injured were fully conscious, and were mostly suffering from cuts and bruises, the bureau said.

Based on a preliminary investigation, the accident appears to have occurred when a semi-truck experienced brake failure and lost control while traveling north on Xiangshan Road, Section 6, the Taichung Police Department said.

As it approached Pingxi Road, the semi crashed into at least 10 cars, 11 motorcycles and one bicycle from behind, resulting in multiple non-life-threatening injuries, the department said.

The driver of the semi-truck, a 25-year-old man surnamed Hsieh (謝), did not have any alcohol in his system, police said, adding that the exact cause and legal responsibility for the accident are still under investigation.

Videos and photos of the accident scene showed multiple damaged vehicles, fallen roadside trees and components from the semi's freight scattered widely across the intersection.

As of Sunday afternoon, northbound traffic on Xiangshan Road was being redirected to Xitun Road to avoid the intersection, police said.