: A 12-wheel tipper crashed through the parapet wall of Basin Bridge and fell into Buckingham Canal in the early hours of Monday. The driver escaped, but the cleaner died.
The vehicle without cargo was proceeding from Vyasarpadi towards Mint at 2 a.m for Metro Rail work.
According to Selvakumar, Inspector of Traffic Investigation, Washermenpet, Partiban, the driver, lost control of the vehicle as it ran over the platform near the bridge, rammed into its parapet wall and fell into the canal filled with sewage.
He managed to escape. However, the cleaner Prakash (18) drowned.
Onlookers alerted the police who rushed to the spot and sought the assistance of the Fire and Rescue Services Department.
Personnel from the department used cranes to retrieve the vehicle and deployed a boat for rescue work. The accident threw traffic out of control on the entire stretch covering Basin Bridge Road, Power House Road and Elephant Gate Road. The police have booked the driver for causing death by negligence and rash driving. He was arrested and has been remanded in judicial custody.
