6 killed, 9 hurt in road mishap along NLEX in Pampanga

Six people were killed and nine were hurt in a road accident along the portion of the North Luzon Expressway in Apalit, Pampanga on Saturday.

A Super Radyo dzBB report quoted Superintendent Elmer Decena, Apalit, Pampanga police OIC, as saying the incident happened when the tire of a Hyundai H100 semi-van blew out at the northbound lane of the NLEX viaduct at Barangay Tabuyoc around 12:30 p.m.

The van also hit a truck before flipping to its side, with some of the passengers being thrown out of the vehicle and into an area underneath the viaduct,  a separate report on 24 Oras said.

Isang closed van ang tumagilid sa tulay sa NLEX, sa pagitan ng San Simon Exit at Pulilan Exit, sa ulat ng @dzbb. As of 2:55 PM, isa ang kumpirmadong patay sa insidente, ayon kay Toll Regulatory Board Spokesperson Alberto Suansing. pic.twitter.com/E65zlW3vtb

— YouScoop (@YouScoop) March 23, 2019

The dzBB report said the van was carrying 15 people, mostly overseas Filipino workers, who were headed to the Clark International Airport in Pampanga to catch their 7 p.m. flight.

As of 12:49 PM Slow moving at Viaduct NB due to vehicular accident affecting rightmost lane. Keep safe distance. @TRBph pic.twitter.com/eEV01pHvOF

— NLEX Corporation (@NLEXexpressways) March 23, 2019

The nine wounded passengers are already being treated at three different hospitals in the province.

The identities of the victims were not immediately available, but authorities said their relatives have already been informed of the incident. The driver of the van has already been arrested.

Alberto Suansing, spokesperson of the Toll Regulatory Board, said in a separate Super Radyo dzBB interview that the northbound lane of the NLEX viaduct road has already been cleared of the damaged vehicle. — with Jamil Santos/MDM, GMA News