Two Poles killed in Limassol roadworks crash

TWO POLISH workers were killed in a road accident yesterday after their van smashed into the back of a lorry that had broken down on the motorway.

According to police, the accident occurred at around 7am yesterday morning when the 20-year-old Polish driver of the van failed to notice that the lorry in front of him had stopped between the roundabouts of Linopetra and Ayios Athanasios on the Limassol bypass.

The van rammed into the back of the lorry at high speed, killing a 32-year-old woman, who was sitting next to the driver, and a 58-year-old man who was sitting behind her.
All the Poles were on their way to work when the accident happened.

Police officials said yesterday the lorry had come to a halt because of a mechanical failure.

The driver told police he had got out of the lorry to see what was wrong and had put on the hazard lights to warn other drivers, just moments before the van smashed into the lorry.

He told police he couldn’t park in the emergency lane because traffic cones had been placed there due to the ongoing roadworks.

Both the driver of the van and the lorry tested negative in breathalyser tests.

All the other passengers in the van, who were freed from the wreckage by the fire service, were taken to Limassol General Hospital, where doctors said they were not in a life-threatening condition.

“Two of the passengers were pronounced dead on arrival. The other passengers were treated for head injuries and internal bleeding. They are not serious in conditions,” said emergency doctor Antonis Kastanos.

Traffic police, who are still investigating the exact cause of the crash, sealed off the lane where the accident took place, causing massive traffic jams all morning.

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