A truck driven by a Romanian driver caused major traffic disruptions on the E17 highway in Belgium after a tire burst. The incident occurred near Sint-Niklaas, in the direction towards Antwerp. [1]
The vehicle was transporting a cargo of 39 tons of steel. After one tire exploded, two others were damaged, leaving the truck immobilized. The driver managed to stop the vehicle safely, but assistance teams faced difficulties due to the limited space on the hard shoulder. [1]
Authorities decided to temporarily close the right-hand lane to ensure safe work conditions. All three affected tires had to be replaced on the spot. [1]
The operation proved more complicated than usual because the truck was equipped with special tires, and finding compatible models required additional time. The intervention took place over several hours. [1]
During the intervention, traffic on the E17 highway was seriously disrupted. Long queues of cars formed, and drivers experienced considerable delays both in the morning and early afternoon. [1]
As the story develops
Update
Romanian truck driver paralyzes traffic on E17 in Belgium
Traffic on the E17 highway in Belgium, heading towards Antwerp, was heavily affected on Wednesday after a truck driven by a Romanian driver suffered a tire blowout near the Belgian town of Sint-Niklaas. The incident occurred around 8:30 AM when one of the tires of a semi-trailer truck loaded with 39 tons of steel exploded, as reported by the Belgian publication Het Laatste Nieuws. [2]
Debris from the destroyed tire was scattered across the carriageway, while two other tires were damaged, leaving the truck with only two functional wheels. The driver managed to control the vehicle and safely pull it onto the hard shoulder, avoiding an accident, although traffic was impacted. [2]
The intervention was hindered by the very limited space on the hard shoulder in that area. For traffic safety, authorities had to close the right-hand lane of the highway, which caused significant traffic jams towards Antwerp. [2]
The repair operation proved difficult. The truck could not be towed immediately, requiring tire replacements on site. Since these were special tires for heavy vehicles, finding compatible pairs took additional time. [2]
Due to the complex intervention, traffic restrictions remained in effect for much of Wednesday morning and afternoon, leading to kilometer-long queues on the E17 and causing considerable delays for drivers. [2]
International context: In February, a Romanian driver was injured after the truck he was driving overturned on a German highway; firefighters had to break the windshield to help him exit the cab. [2]
Additionally, a year ago, a Romanian truck driver partially destroyed a historic monument in Spain that was over 240 years old. The incident did not result in casualties but severely damaged one of the most important historical structures in the town of Algeciras. [2]
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