Authorities in Australia are using magnets to pick up sharp metal debris strewn over nearly 20 miles of road outside Sydney. Hundreds of motorists reported flat tires in the early hours of Friday after improperly secured scrap metal spilled out of a hauler—"a mechanical error of some sort" as someone from the company responsible admitted. Dozens of tow trucks were dispatched (surely followed by a legion of insurance adjusters) as the resulting traffic jam on New South Wales' M1 slowly cleared.
Daniel Falconer, from NJ Ashton, confirmed the haulier and trucking company owned the truck on Ben Fordham's 2GB program on Friday morning. The debris was called "flock" – small, sharp steel that "when it comes out, it is puncturing the tyres", Falconer said. … The driver had "absolutely no idea" the metal was spilling, Falconer said, adding that the pins on the back of the truck were locked.
Added Falconer: "We are very, very sorry for what has happened."
Previously:
• Demonic flat tires
• 1966 photo shows truck full of tires with a flat of its own
• Dumb motorcyclist does burnout at stoplight only to get a flat tire (video)
