WHAT A RECKLESS MORON THIS TRUCK DRIVER WAS. THAT PARKING LOT ROOF IS VERY THIN AND CAN ONLY ACCEPT A LOAD OF 3 TONS. YOU CAN CLEARLY FEEL THE PARKING LOT SHAKING EVEN AT TYPICAL TRAFFIC DAYS.
NORTH BERGEN, New Jersey (WABC) --
A dump truck fell through the upper level of a parking garage in North Bergen, New Jersey, causing significant damage to the structure.
It happened before noon Wednesday at the Tonnelle Center Shopping Center on Tonnelle Avenue.
Video from NewsCopter 7 showed a large opening in the upper level of the structure. The front end of the dump truck could be seen in the hole.
"We were eating and we heard it," said witness Nicole Polanco, "and saw the truck went through the floor."
Emergency responders' video taken from inside the garage showed how deep the damage really went.
Police say the truck was filled with construction debris when the driver decided to make a u-turn on the top level of the 3-level facility.
"The dump truck is clearly over the gross weight limit that's posted," said North Bergen Police Chief Robert Dowd. "Unfortunately he proceeded. He fell through 2 tiers of the parking garage."
The truck landed on a ramp area below. Fortunately, no other vehicles were beneath it.
The driver was not injured, though police say he was in quite a bit of shock.
If it had to happen, officials said, this was the best possible outcome, because no one at the shopping center was injured.
And that's remarkable, because there were a lot of people nearby.
"Where the truck fell was near Chuck E. Cheese with lots of kids and a gym packed with people," said Dowd.
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NORTH BERGEN, NJ -
A North Bergen parking deck will remain closed following an incident involving a dump truck.
Authorities say that the driver of the 40-ton truck ignored signs that stated that the weight limit was only 6,000 pounds. The caused a portion of the parking deck to collapse, sending the truck crashing through three levels. It happened Wednesday afternoon at the shopping center located at 81-01 Tonnelle Ave.
Police say that the truck driver got into a fender bender with a car on 81st Street just prior to the incident.
“The driver of the truck says to the driver of the car, ‘Let me turn around and I’ll meet one block away,’ says North Bergen Police Captain William Lyons.
Video from Chopper 12 over the scene
No injuries were reported and no other vehicles were damaged. The shopping center was evacuated and remained closed for the rest of Wednesday.
"It fell and came to a rest about 20 feet from the front door of a Chuck E Cheese which had a field trip today and right outside a gym packed with people,” says North Bergen Police Chief Tiber Dowd.
Tow trucks were used to pull the truck down from its vertical position, but it remains in the garage. Officials are considering taking off the tires or pulling the body apart to get it out.
The truck driver was given a summons for his role in the incident.
It was unclear when the parking deck would reopen.