Driver badly injured after refuse truck overturns

A 28-year-old man is in hospital suffering from serious injuries after losing control of a refuse truck, hitting a wall and overturning onto its side along the Coast Road in St Andrew's yesterday morning, the police said.

The accident occurred just up the road from the Forum Hotel as the truck was on its way to the Magħtab landfill after collecting waste from St Julians.

The man, Kevin Farrugia of Żurrieq, was trapped beneath the truck under the front right mudguard, the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) said.

He was released with the help of Civil Protection Department personnel.

Victor Spiteri, president of the Public Transport Association, said bus driver George Cutajar was passing by and immediately extinguished a small fire and went to the assistance of the trapped driver.

A number of soldiers on their way to the Pembroke ranges for explosives training gave further assistance and controlled the traffic.

An AFM nurse administered first aid before the driver was taken to Mater Dei Hospital where he was found to be in critical condition. His condition later improved.

Combat engineers were called to spread sand over a substantial amount of diesel that leaked from the truck's fuel tank.

A 24-year-old sitting in the rear of the truck suffered slight injuries and his brother, 23, sitting beside him, escaped unscathed.

The Coast Road has been the scene of many a bad traffic accident. In the most recent, an 80-year-old died on April 5 after a head-on collision between his Kia Pride and a Ford Ka.