Police car crushed by lorry while attending scene of toppled HGV in high winds

11 December 2019, 17:18

Footage from Road Police car on A1

A police officer attending the scene of a lorry that had toppled over in high winds had to call for support after a second lorry fell and crushed his patrol car.

The police car, which was static at the time, was "carrying out scene protection" after the first lorry had toppled over between two carriageways on the A1 between Haddington and Dunbar at around 10.15am on Tuesday.

Shocking footage from inside the car captured the moment it was squashed by the HGV on the Tyne Bridge.

Sergeant John Easton, from Police Scotland’s Road Policing Unit, had been inside the vehicle moments before the lorry toppled.

He said: “When I got to the scene, I jumped out the car, went across to check on the driver from the first lorry to make sure that he was ok, and he was already in another vehicle with one of our support drivers, so I said to them they needed to get off the bridge as it was too dangerous.

“As I struggled trying to get back to my car I had to hold onto the lorry to try and pull myself around. I had to get back into my car to then contact our control room and Traffic Scotland to close the bridge and the road.

“That’s at which point as I was speaking on the radio that the lorry started to fall over onto my car. As it happens, my favourite car in the RPU fleet.

“I took a deep breath, got out, and checked that the driver of the lorry that had hit my vehicle was ok before radioing for more assistance. Colleagues quickly arrived to help at the scene and we closed the road at the bridge.

“It could have been much worse but fortunately I walked away unscathed. I certainly won’t forget why it’s called the ‘Windy Bridge’ now.”

Chief Superintendent Stewart Carle, who posted the video, said he was “relieved that one of my road patrol sergeants was not seriously injured”.

Sgt Carle also said Sergeant Easton was "cool as a cucumber" when the lorry fell on his car.

He explained how Mr Easton broadcast in, saying: "'We need to close the A1 now: a lorry has just toppled onto my patrol car. And I just polished it yesterday!'

"I nearly spilt my mug of tea but was quickly reassured when told the BMW was a ‘64 plate!"

A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: "The A1 is currently closed between the Old Craighall junction at the A720, Edinburgh City Bypass, and Grantshouse for all HGVs.

"There is a further closure for all vehicles between the Abbots View roundabout, Haddington and the Thistly Cross Roundabout, Dunbar, due to an earlier crash involving HGVs.

"Please be advised that, due to the inclement weather, the road will remain closed between Dunbar and Haddington until at least 10pm tonight (Tuesday, 10 December) to allow for recovery of the vehicles.

"Due to the wind and poor weather conditions, it is currently not safe to attempt recovery of the HGVs and as such the road will remains closed until this has happened."