Truck topples over, 72-year-old driver injured
Video: Paul Spiteri Lucas
A 72-year-old man suffered leg injuries this morning when his truck toppled over.
The incident happened at Wied Qotton, near Hal Far, at about 9 a.m.
The truck was about to unload stone slabs when it crashed onto one side, pinning the driver between his seat and the steering wheel.
A 14-year-old boy who was with him managed to scramble out through a window, people on the scene said.
The driver was pulled out by members of the Civil Protection Department and rushed to hospital in an ambulance.
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39 Comments
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M. Cassar
Mar 17th 2011, 00:20
Now if we had any investigative reporting we would find a note at the bottom of the article stating the legal age for a child to still be at school. We would also get a short comment from someone conversant with insurance regulations commenting on cover for quarries and heavy vehicles . We would get info re the type of certification one requires to drive a heavy vehicle (including the medical clearence necessary) and any safety wear one needs in these environments. This info might discourage and educate those who think that being a parent or grandparent allows you to expose children to danger! Of course there is the blog but one wonders whether it carries the same weight.
D.Mizzi
Mar 16th 2011, 10:18
To everyone:
The fundamental issue is about what was the boy doing in a construction yard at such a young age. He should not have been there in the first place due to health and safety. If due to:
1. Parent's day then ideally he should be with the parents participating in the education
2. Sick then ideally he should stay at home not go outside - like we all do on sick leave
If there is a perfectly valid reason not to be at school, I can still see no reason why he should be in a construction area. The boy could still learn about construction at school and at home. There is no need to take a 14 yr old boy to the construction dangers.
Any other comments like saying he was with the father (which no one knows and for that matter the 72 yr old could be a friend of the family or the grand father) or politics (again nothing to do with politics), or that the teachers are doing utmost are irrelevant to the context and hence not necessary.
ray alamango
Mar 16th 2011, 08:10
Do not jump to conclusions, maybe the boy was with his grandfather while his mother was attending for his parents day at school, so there's noting wrong with that.
Kenneth Cassar
Mar 16th 2011, 09:40
Jump to conclusions?
FACT: The incident happened at about 9am, when children are legally bound to be sent to school.
FACT: In any case, a quarry is not safe for children (and probably illegal too).
There is EVERYTHING wrong with that.
I hope the driver learns from his mistake.
c camilleri
Mar 16th 2011, 07:21
What a marvel! A 72-year old who should have been enjoying his hard earned retirement for at least 10 years still working - together with a 14 year old boy who should have started this job when he is at least 16 years old.
There must be a great sense of work attitude in this country or else the greed for money is too deep.
It would never come to my mind that these two persons are just two victims of the high cost of living imposed by GonziPN... or would it?
Peter Bonnici
Mar 16th 2011, 08:17
They'll have ample time to rest when Labour is in power.
c camilleri
Mar 16th 2011, 10:16
@Peter Bonnici. Sure, I am more than convinced that a PL government will succeed! It is a shame that the current administration is do detached from reality to realise what is going on in our beloved country.
Timmy Farrugia
Mar 16th 2011, 10:47
hahaha wow Gonzi is to blame for the accident!!! wow some of you people would blame him if a mosquito bit you... if michael jackson were still alive today he would re-release Blame it on the Boogie reworded to Blame it on Gonzi...Dont blame it on the sunshine, dont blame it on the moonlight, dont blame it on good times, blame it on Dr gonzi!!!!!
Joseph Galea
Mar 16th 2011, 05:06
And why was a 72-year-old man allowed to drive? let alone driving such a heavy and potentially dangerous truck! such an incident could have killed innocent people. Old people should not be allowed to drive if they do not pass strict medical tests that they are fit to do so (In this case i doubt that the driver was fit!) - for the shake of the everyone in the streets!
Thers a reason why when we get old we retire from work and recieve a pension - because health deteriorates and its not the same thing as being young...
Joe Cremona
Mar 15th 2011, 23:10
Quoting from legal notice L.N. 91 of 2000, regarding Protection of Young Persons at Work Places, Regulations 2000 states that, no person shall employ under any contract of service or otherwise, or give out any work to a child. The interpretation of child means, a young person less than fifteen years of age; therefore Grandpa Joe was surely breaching the regulations when this 14 old boy was taken for construction work, hope Grandpa Joe recovers from his injuries and in future adhere with all health and safety regulations .
samantha barbara
Mar 15th 2011, 22:10
My son is on two days leave due to parents day and this is probably the reason he wasnt at school.
Joseph M. Scicluna
Mar 15th 2011, 13:26
Sa fejn naf jien, l-iskola hija obbligatorja sa 16 il-sena. Mela dan it-tifel suppost kien l-iskola, irrispettivament x'kien qed jghamel.
L.Bugeja
Mar 15th 2011, 12:07
Le tifel ta 14 il sena ma jistghax ikun fuq post tax xoghol li jirrigwardja certu safety u din ligi tas safety.issa naraw kif ha jbengila mal health and safety authority.
M. Cilia
Mar 15th 2011, 11:58
Mr. Borg, you have every right to enquire why a 14 year old boy was at a construction site at 9am on a schoolday. Mr. Spiteri and Mr. Bugeja, even though the boy might prefer construction work more than school as you assumed, school is still compulsory till the age of 16. So that 14 year old should have been at school since he was evidently not sick. And all this not to mention the dangers of a child being in construction work. Good luck to the injured driver and may he back on his feet soon.
R.Mizzi
Mar 15th 2011, 11:01
Min qalilkom li dak ir-ragel anzjan huwa missier dak it-tifel ta' 14 il-sena?
M Caruana
Mar 15th 2011, 10:41
Ma nahsibx li hi kwistjoni li tilhaq salib in nies ta 14 il sena taht l-eta u sa fejn naf jien l-iskola ija obligatorja bilfors sa 16 il-sena
Duncan Vella
Mar 15th 2011, 10:36
I don't think that truck was manufactured to carry that amount of stone slabs!!!
Joe Borg
Mar 15th 2011, 10:21
What was a 14 year old doing in a truck on a schoolday?
Maybe he was having his heavy school books being delivered?
L Spiteri
Mar 15th 2011, 10:26
Mela tifel ta 14, ma jistax imur go barriera ma missieru. Kulhadd irid jilhaq salib haddiehor. Forsi it-tifel jinteressah construction u mhux skola. Sorry Mr Borg, ma tafx x'ghandek tghid.
G.Bugeja
Mar 15th 2011, 10:35
xandu xjaqsam!.. fej taf x'kien qied jaghmel mighew?! kem ghawn min ihobb jerfa salib in-nies!!..
kellu bzonn jghadilu malajr u ma jkollux problemi permanenti!
G.Zammit
Mar 15th 2011, 10:39
Mr. J. Borg. Agree with you 100%.
Joseph N Attard
Mar 15th 2011, 10:41
Mr/Mrs. Spiteri, anyone up to 16 years old must attend school, by law. Many a child's future has been ruined by parents failing to understand the importance of school attendance. Even a future construction worker would benefit immensely from a basic education.
Joseph Sammut
Mar 15th 2011, 10:41
@L. Spiteri: I think it's you who do not know what you are saying! A quarry is out of bounds for minors - health & safety regulations. And if construction is what the boy wants, he can take that route at school - there are a miriad of courses in construction you know - from basic to doctorate. What was he doing in a quarry on a school day? He's lucky he was not injured.
John Zammit
Mar 15th 2011, 10:48
Mr.Borg - CORRECT!!!!!.What was a 14 year old doing there during a schoolday?.....
Joe Borg
Mar 15th 2011, 10:48
@ L Spiteri & G.Bugeja,
Hope that both of you did not mean what you said!
You well know that the boy should have been at school at that time.
A Bonett
Mar 15th 2011, 10:50
If I am not mistaken , and please correct me if I'm wrong, school is compulsory up to 16 years old, and we paying for their free education, so that later on in life he/she can have (hopefully) a better life - whatever path this boy chooses to follow
E. Gatt
Mar 15th 2011, 10:50
@Bugeja and Spiteri
Lest you do not know it is a legal requirement for children (at 14 he is still considered a child) to be in school. Absenteeism is only covered by a parental or doctor's note.
It is therefore you I'm afraid, who have no clue what you are talking about.
Do have a nice day.
E. Attard
Mar 15th 2011, 10:55
@ l spiteri - it-teachers jaghmlu l-ilma jizfen biex it-tfal jitghallmu xi haga u jkollhom hajja u futur ahjar..... huwa abbuz serju li tifel ta din l-eta kien fuq il-post tax-xoghol mal-adulti u kien qed jigi espost ghal certu riskji ta' incidenti....!!!!!
Joseph Borg
Mar 15th 2011, 11:05
minghajr ma nikkometti ruhi la ma wiehed u anqas ma l iehor....Just for the info. BIL LIGI tfal taht is 16 il sena jridu jattendu l iskola BILFORS.
http://www.education.gov.mt/edu/edu_03.htm
Niehu din l okkazzjoni biex l aktar haga importanti...nixteiq fejqan ta malajr lill min weggha.
B Mallia
Mar 15th 2011, 11:23
Actually the same thing crossed my mind when reading this.
Susannah Vella
Mar 15th 2011, 11:38
@ Joe Borg, bhalissa ghandhom 'parents day' u it-tfal ma jkollhomx skola!
S.Fenech
Mar 15th 2011, 11:41
I think Mr. Borg has all the rights to ask that question. In our country, school is obligatory, whether the children want it or not. Today is a usual school day, and if the boy is interested in construction work, he should go to such sites after school hours, supervised in a controlled environment, where it would be very difficult to harm himself.
It is definitely not the right place to be for a child, where the driver should have his attention 100% on his machinery.
If something happened to the child everyone would have put the blame on the driver, but here we are, knowing that somehow or another he managed to escape unharmed and we just close our eyes on everything else.
Having said that, I hope the driver recovers as soon as possible as it is always hard to learn of anyone getting hurt while on duty.
John Abela
Mar 15th 2011, 11:42
Nahseb li s-Sur Borg ghandu ragun ghaliex kieku dan it-tifel ma kienx iwegga'. Barra minn hekk post it-tfal mhux li jahdmu izda li jattendu l-iskola biex isiru nies u mhux jibqghu lura. L-awtoritajiet edukattivi jmisshom jinvestigaw ghaliex dan it-tifel ma kienx l-iskola u jekk hemm bzonn jiehdu l-passi kontra l-genituri tieghu.
N. Pace
Mar 15th 2011, 11:51
Joe Borg
I fully agree with you, unless it is a school holiday, the boy should be in school getting an education, unless he is one of the many that feel they have a God given right to be supported by the Government and his fellow Maltese tax payers who work hard to make ends meet.
This should be investigated.
m bonello
Mar 15th 2011, 12:23
@ L.Spiteri
I think it is illegal for children below 16 years old not to go to school unless they have a valid reason e.g. they are sick.
A. Briffa
Mar 15th 2011, 16:26
PARENTS' DAY MAYBE?
Vince
Mar 15th 2011, 21:23
it tifel kien marid al informazjoni takom u mar ma nanuh ax ma riedx joqod id dar ma jamel xejn igifiri aqtawa bdan il paroli fil vojt meta qas tafu fuqiex qedin tidu ahjar terfaw is salib takom u tharsu daqxejn fil mera mili toqodu tidu fuq in nies ax mandkomx xtamlu bhajitkom.
L Camilleri
Mar 16th 2011, 05:02
Parents' Day u mhux Parents' Day, it-tifel kien espost ghall-perikli fil-kostruzzjoni tal-bini.
N. Pace
Mar 16th 2011, 13:27
Vince
jekk kien marid missu kien id-dar
vera risponsabli nannuh jekk hadu mieghu