A multi-vehicle pile-up resulting from a cable falling during electrical work carried out by state-owned Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) left one person dead and three injured on the Tongsiao (通霄) section of Formosa Freeway (Freeway No. 3) yesterday, the Miaoli County Fire Bureau said.
The fire bureau said it received a report around 10am that seven vehicles — a tour bus, a semi-trailer and five passenger cars — were involved in an accident after a cable fell onto the freeway, causing one car to tip over and the subsequent pileup.
The person who died was pronounced dead after being rushed to a hospital, the bureau said, adding that she had no vital signs at the scene of the accident.
Photo courtesy of Highway police via CNA
The bureau added that those injured in the pile-up had sustained fractures and were in pain.
A preliminary investigation by the National Highway Police Bureau reported that a long cable had fallen from a Taipower electricity transmission project due to worker negligence.
The cable first crashed into a southbound car, which led to that car hitting a highway fence. A northbound semi-trailer was then struck by the cable, which caused the car initially struck by the cable to become hooked up again, leading to the ensuing pileup, as the other five vehicles traveling behind were unable to avoid colliding with the car.
Highway police said the accident caused traffic on the freeway to become backed up for about 2km, but that it was cleared in about one hour.
Highway police said the electricity transmission project was carried out by a contractor commissioned by Taipower, and that those responsible for the accident would be subject to the full force of the law.
In response, Taipower announced the project’s suspension and said it had set up a task force to determine what had happened to reduce the risk of such an accident occurring again.
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