Prompt emergency response. Skyway O&M Corporation (SOMCO) personnel aide and supervise the emergency response team sent by the Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP) during the clearing operations at the site of the seven-vehicle accident which injured four and damaged Skyway property. Barely a month ago, SOMCO inked a deal with AAP to strengthen the Skyway operator's emergency response capability.

An early morning smash-up involving seven vehicles along the Skyway’s southbound at-grade section  in Sucat, Muntinlupa City caused a traffic jam extending from the accident area to Bicutan, Parañaque City.

According to official reports from Skyway O&M Corporation (SOMCO), the accident happened at the Skyway’s Sucat southbound entry near the Water Fun  at around 5:30am today (September 2), when an Isuzu trailer truck with plate number WBC-958 smashed into and dragged a Mitsubishi Adventure with plate number WSS-576.   Due to a scheduled girder launching activity for the  Skyway Stage 2 construction,  there was a short vehicular queue in the area.  As the truck driver approached the area,  he allegedly tried to slow down and claimed that the brakes malfunctioned causing it to crash the Mitsubishi Adventure that triggered collision with other vehicles.

The initial impact of the collision caused the Mitsubishi to hit a Gasat Liner passenger bus with plate number TWV-503, which was pushed out of its lane and ended up blocking the expressway’s southbound direction. Four other vehicles—a Toyota Corolla MGE Taxi unit with plate number TYS-360, a passenger-type jeep with plate number PYS-472, a private Toyota Corolla unit with plate number UKF-440 and an Isuzu aluminium van with plate number RVB-218—were also involved in the accident.

There were no casualties, but initial reports showed that four people bore minor injuries and were immediately brought to the Asian Hospital for medical treatment. The injured are Mary Ann Bernaldo, Theresita Navarro and Mary Emplayo of Bicutan, Taguig City, and Belon Ison of Pasay City.  Follow-up investigation is still consolidating information on whether others were also injured. The vehicles involved in the accident also wrecked the expressway’s perimeter fence.

SOMCO officials and Automobile Association of the Philippines’ emergency response team promptly responded to the accident, although the expressway remained unpassable for two hours while clearing operations were being  conducted. All seven vehicles were removed from the scene and the area cleared of all debris by 7:30am.  The SOMCO traffic enforcers diverted oncoming traffic to the West and East Service Roads to ease the congestion inside the expressway. The case has been forwarded to the Highway Patrol Group Skyway Investigation Office.

SOMCO again appeals to all truck and bus operators to ensure that their vehicles are in good running condition and that their drivers are mentally and physically fit to drive at all times  so as to prevent accidents  that not only damage other vehicles and hurt passengers but cause heavy traffic as well.