World · Sri Lanka Bureau
Runaway cement truck kills six on A9 highway near Kandy
A speeding bulk cement lorry ploughed into multiple vehicles and a roadside shop in Akurana, killing six people and injuring seven others. The collision occurred on the busy Kandy-Jaffna A9 road on Tuesday afternoon.
LSN Sri Lanka ·
Six people lost their lives when a heavily laden cement and concrete transport truck veered out of control on the A9 highway at Kurugoda, Akurana, on Tuesday afternoon. Four of the fatalities were pronounced dead at the scene, while two others succumbed to injuries while receiving treatment. The accident left seven additional people injured, with several in serious condition.
The speeding bulker struck a series of vehicles travelling on the road before crashing into a nearby shop. Emergency services responded swiftly to the incident, with rescue teams working to extract injured individuals from the wreckage and transport them to nearby medical facilities.
The A9 highway, a major arterial route connecting Kandy and the northern districts, remained partially disrupted following the collision as authorities conducted investigations into the cause of the accident. Police have launched an inquiry into whether mechanical failure, driver error, or excessive speed contributed to the tragedy.
The incident marks another fatal accident on Sri Lanka's highways, raising continued concerns about road safety standards and vehicle maintenance regulations affecting heavy commercial transport.