7 tonne jet engine falls from truck at Arncliffe: Driver charged
A MAN driving a truck when a huge aircraft engine fell off the back — causing major traffic delays throughout the day — has been charged over the unsecure load.
NSW
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A MAN driving a truck when a huge aircraft engine fell off the back — causing major traffic delays throughout the day — has been charged.
A passing crane was put to use to help upright the General Electric engine, which toppled off the back of the truck on Forest Rd near the Princes Highway in Arncliffe about 9.30am.
NSW Police were on the scene and the driver of the truck, a 51-year-old man, was breath-tested at the scene with a negative result.
Police say the man will be issued a future court attendance notice over the unsecure load and will face Sutherland Local Court for drive heavy vehicle not comply load constraint, and class one over-size permit offence.
He is due to appear at court on November 1.
Police will allege the driver used restraints for a 900kg load, when the engine weighed seven tonnes.
Forest Rd was blocked for two hours while the machine was salvaged.
Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander, Assistant Commissioner John Hartley, says the assistance of the crane helped to minimise traffic disruptions in the area.
“Operators travelling with over-size loads need to take appropriate precautions to ensure their own safety, and the safety of other motorists,” Assistant Commissioner Hartley said.
“Incidents such as these can lead to serious crashes and it’s lucky other motorists weren’t injured or even killed.”
A grey cover over the object is labelled: “General Electric, Commercial Engine Division, Cincinnati, Ohio”.
The engine is designed specifically by General Electric for the Airbus A330.
Both Qantas and Virgin Australia have A330s in their fleet, as does the RAAF.
OTHER NEWS: QUESTIONS OVER CLOVER’S ‘CONFLICT OF INTEREST’
Earlier, to the northwest of the city, two of three lanes of Lane Cove Rd at Macquarie Park were blocked for most of the day due to a burst water main, with the water causing extensive damage to the road and a number of power poles.
The trip between Concord and Macquarie Park was taking almost two hours longer than usual, the Transport Management Centre warned.
Traffic at one stage was backed up for 15km in some areas.
Congestion has since eased and one lane reopened but there are still delays on Lane Cove Rd.
MACQUARIE PARK: Traffic on Lane Cove Rd is still very heavy with queues of about 15kms, 2 lanes still closed at incident scene
— Live Traffic Sydney (@LiveTrafficSyd) September 5, 2016
ARNCLIFFE: All westbound lanes now closed on Forest Rd at Princes Hwy due to truck losing container, traffic's heavy
— Live Traffic Sydney (@LiveTrafficSyd) September 6, 2016
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