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Runaway tanker rams cars in Walmart parking lot

A runaway truck caused massive damage mid-afternoon Saturday, October 8 when it plowed through the busiest intersection of the Chapala-Jocotepec highway after losing its brakes on the downhill slope of the Libramiento bypass. 

Five people suffered minor to serious injuries as four cars were demolished by the fully-loaded water tanker that crossed the roadway at breakneck speed, landing in the Walmart parking lot. First responders from Cruz Roja Chapala and the local Civil 

Protection and Fire Department rushed to scene along with traffic and municipal police to manage the situation. 

It is the second accident in the space of three weeks to occur at the same junction due to brake failures of large delivery trucks.  The local government has now teamed with the area’s traffic department chief to draw up plans for preventive measures to reduce dangers at this intersection.

Judging by the state of the wreckage, it is miraculous that no one died at the scene. Cruz Roja personnel who tended to the crash victims in the immediate aftermath told the Reporter that air bags and seat belts certainly helped save lives. 

The most gravely injured person is a well-known Chapala physician who was driving a van that flipped over after being struck full-on when the tanker roared across the roadway. At last report he remained in critical condition under intensive care at a Guadalajara hospital.

A lady veterinarian who had apparently just left her nearby office suffered a head wound, painful broken ribs and bruises, lucky considering that her compact sedan was practically pancaked as the huge truck took a nose dive into the parking lot. After preliminary attention at the Cruz Roja clinic, she was taken to a Guadalajara hospital for a complete medical evaluation. 

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