SARABURI: Six men, five of them employees of the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA), were killed and three others injured after an articulated lorry loaded with laterite rammed into a stationary PEA pickup truck in Nong Khae district yesterday.
The truck, driven by Chucheep Upachit, 27, was carrying laterite from Na Phra Lan area in Saraburi to a client in Pathum Thani province, according to police.
At an intersection to Nong Khae market, the driver lost control of the truck, causing it to smash into the PEA pickup parked on one side of the Bangkok-bound Phahon Yothin Road in front of a warehouse at kilometre marker No 85. At the time, PEA workers were replacing old power poles and repairing high-voltage transmission lines.
The impact caused the PEA vehicle to land in a roadside bush about 40 metres away. The truck rammed into a power pole and the wall of the warehouse, and engulfed in flames, killing the driver.
Five PEA employees working at the scene were crushed to death. They were identified as Samran Sriphum, 27, Sakchai Kerdmee, 25, Suchart Sakaew, 30, Veerachai Malison, 20, and Somboon Maneenart, 45.
The sixth victim is yet to be identified.
Veerapol Boonmark, Chaiwat Suthi and Chawin Thaochan were injured. They were admitted to Nong Khae Hospital.
