Sleepy Lorry Driver Sparks Overnight Chaos on A229
A major stretch of the A229 was shut overnight after a lorry careered off the road and got stuck on the grass verge near Lord Lees Roundabout, at the top of Blue Bell Hill, close to Walderslade.
Driver Falls Asleep, Lorry Ends Up in Ditch
The Polish driver reportedly nodded off while cruise control was on, sending his big rig crashing into a ditch and blocking one of Kent’s busiest routes.
Heroic Rescue and Massive Recovery Effort
Emergency services rushed to the scene around 8:45am on Monday morning. Firefighters from Kent Fire and Rescue had to cut the driver free using specialised tools.
The lorry, however, wasn’t so lucky. Recovery teams deployed three heavy rescue units with booms and winches to haul the tractor and trailers from a low-lying copse.
Workers spent hours transferring the load – believed to be a white powder used to make coffee – as Kent County Council highways crews monitored the colossal operation.
Driver Lucky to Escape Serious Injury
Police confirmed the driver sustained no serious injuries but the crash remains under investigation. The A229 is expected to return to normal once cleanup wraps up.
