Posted by: blissfulsketches | October 11, 2006

It’s dangerous to be out in the open!

Yesterday, this poor chap’s newish Alfa Romeo got crushed by a falling pipe while waiting at traffic lights. He escaped within an inch of his life: the pipe smashed into his car just behind the driver’s seat. According to reports from the South China Morning Post, he was so frightened by the incident that he didn’t move until firefighters arrived, needing their help to get out of the car although he wasn’t trapped in the disaster.

accident.jpg

(Picture borrowed from the Standard 😀)

The incident occurred a few blocks from our apartment. Some negligence was definitely involved when three huge pipes which were being hoisted up by crane broke free and fell 35 floors onto the street and the waiting traffic below. Apparently two of the pipes landed on the street first, then bounced onto the vehicles. Thankfully nobody died! Eyewitnesses were reported to have seen drivers climb out of their vehicles and scramble for ‘safety’ beneath the wings of the construction area. Wonder if that’s any safer?!

The damage: an Italian car, several taxis, two trucks, a goods van and public confidence in the enforcement of construction safety guidelines.

I’m certainly going to be very careful from now on around construction/improvement sites. And you think these things happen only in Malaysia. Sigh.

It seems to be the season for refurbishment too. Our apartment building will soon be fitted with bamboo scaffolding for water pipe replacements.


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