Hong Kong taxi driver killed in fiery collision with 2 trucks along highway to airport
- Footage on social media shows two trucks shunting into one another on highway’s passing lane, before taxi slams into rear of heavy vehicle and catches fire
- All lanes on North Lantau Highway from crash site to airport were closed to traffic for about seven hours
A Hong Kong taxi driver was killed during a fiery collision involving three vehicles on Thursday morning that closed off a key highway for airport traffic for about seven hours.
At around 4.30am, police received a report of the accident on the North Lantau Highway, near Tung Chung’s Citygate Outlets shopping centre, involving two trucks and a taxi.
Footage posted on social media showed the two trucks carrying freight cargo shunting into one another on the highway’s passing lane, before the taxi driven by a 39-year-old man slammed into the back of one of the heavy vehicles.
The cab caught fire upon impact and became stuck under the rear truck, which was driven by a 46-year-old man.
According to the Fire Services Department, eight fire engines and four ambulances were sent to the scene. Firefighters extinguished the blaze soon after 5am.
“The charred body of the taxi driver was found in the cab,” a spokesman said.
The taxi driver was confirmed dead at the scene after emergency personnel put out the blaze.
The 46-year-old truck driver was also injured and taken to Princess Margaret Hospital. The other driver, 53, was unhurt.