Death crash blamed on shifting load
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THE TRANSPORT Authoi ities ought to ensure that container loads were atlequately packed, it was said by the Coroner, Howard McCanun, at a Preston inquest into a lorry crash which killed the driver.
Brian Kennedy, 38, of Salford died when he was trapped in his wrecked cab after his articulated container vehicle turned over on the M61. A police witness said the lorry was well maintained but there were no safety belts. Although these were not required by law, the driver would not have died had he been wearing one.
The container was loaded with paper pulp. When the load was examined, the packages of pulp appeared to have moved and there was a gap of about 3ft wide on one side of it. A witness, A. Kevins, said that as he approached the junction with the M6, he saw a lorry travelling normally at about 35mph. As it completed a bend, it lifted over slowly on to its near side and then overturned.
Inspector William Ball said he was satisfied the load had shifted but it was difficult to see who was responsible for the loading of sealed containers which came from abroad.
Roy Masterson, transport manager of J. S. Woods (Haulage) Ltd, who own the lorry, said the containers were loaded and sealed in Canada and could only be opened and examined by customs officers.
Neither the company nor the drivers knew for certain what was in the containers.
Mr McCamm recorded an accident verdict.