THIS is the shocking moment a concrete lorry overturns on a busy A-road – sparking hour-long delays for commuters.
Materials are sent flying across the carriageway and clouds of dust rise into the air as the HGV crashes on the A13 in Rainham, east London.
Footage posted on social media shows the lorry initially travelling in the left-hand lane along the busy route.
As it drives round the bend, two vehicles ahead – including a white van – can be seen slowing down as they approach the hard shoulder.
In the heart-stopping clip, the truck approaches the rear of the van at speed, before suddenly veering into the middle lane.
It narrowly avoids hitting the van – as well as another car in the fast lane – but starts spilling concrete materials as the trailer precariously tips over.
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As the HGV driver attempts to straighten up, the trailer then leans the other way, scattering more sand and gravel onto the road.
This move unbalances the lorry, causing it to flip and come crashing down – sending plumes of dust into the sky.
Despite landing on its side, momentum causes the truck slide across all three lanes, before it eventually comes to a stop.
Cars caught behind the overturned truck disappear behind the wall of dust.
A caption under the gobsmacking footage reads: “This is why you was all held up on the A13 today”.
But social media users are divided over who is to blame for yesterday’s shocking incident.
One was quick to accuse the lorry driver of using his phone in the build-up to the collision.
They wrote: “You can see the truck hit its brakes and dip, then swerve about 1 second from the van. Def on his phone.”
Another agreed: “Yep, he is definitely checking his phone or something.”
A third said: “I guarantee you that truck driver was on his/her phone.”
But others suggested the two vehicles driving slowly in the left-hand lane were at fault.
One user penned: “Why is that car and van crawling through the left lane though? On a bend too.
“Don’t know but looks like they caused it. What’s the breaking distance on that thing?”
Another continued: “Awful, that truck had a blindspot coming around the corner.”
Emergency services were scrambled to the busy route just after 1.45pm yesterday.
National Highways warned drivers the route was set to stay closed for “several hours” throughout the afternoon.
After being treated by paramedics at the scene, one person was rushed to hospital, the London Ambulance Service confirmed.
A spokesperson said: “We were called at 1.46pm to reports of a road traffic collision on the A13, Rainham.
“We sent an ambulance crew and an incident response officer to the scene.
“We treated one patient and took them to a local hospital.”
London Fire Brigade said: “Firefighters responded to reports of a road traffic collision on the A13, near the junction with Ferry Lane.
“The collision involved a heavy goods vehicle.
“Crews worked to make the scene safe and provided immediate emergency care to a member of the public, prior to the arrival of the London Ambulance Service.
“The Brigade was first called about the incident at 1347 and the incident was over for crews by 1423, when responsibility for the scene was left with the Metropolitan Police Service.”
The Met confirmed no arrests had been made in connection with the incident.
It said: “Police were called at 13:52hrs on September 19 by the London Ambulance Service after a lorry overturned on the A13 in Rainham.
“The driver of the lorry, a man, was taken to hospital where his injuries were deemed not life-changing or life-threatening.
“No arrests were made and the road has now been reopened.”