Family home destroyed by lorry that careered out of control in Liverpool
A MAN told how he was awoken by the sound of a scrap metal truck crashing into his Liverpool home.
Steven Dodds, 41, was upstairs in bed at his home in Queens Drive, Walton, at about 7.20am on Saturday when he heard a massive bang.
A lorry seemingly swerved to avoid a Renault Scenic turning across Queens Drive from Walton Lane and crashed into his terraced home.
The lorry careered across the dual carriageway and into a row of four houses.
Mr Dodds said: “I couldn’t understand what was going on but then it hit the corner of my house.”
Daniel and Deborah Smith’s home took the brunt of the impact.
According to neighbours, Mr Smith was knocked out of his brass-framed bed.
The 27-year-old Renault driver was critically injured in the smash and today remained seriously ill in hospital.
Mr Dodds said: “I was just astonished. I jumped up and put on some clothes quickly and just got out of there.
“I had to climb across rubble that had been my brick wall and get past the cab at the front of the truck which stopped about a foot from my front door.
“The council have now been out and put structural supports in the front room as a precaution.”
Eyewitnesses, including Fidel Albadwr, owner of Queens Drive News, reported seeing the Renault driver flung though his windscreen onto the road.
Police, who launched an investigation into the collision, said Mr and Mrs Smith’s home is now “structurally unsound”.
Miraculously, no one in the houses was hurt.
Neighbour Jim Ormrod, 60, said: “I just heard the bang and the vehicle scraping along the houses. It sounded like a gas explosion.”
Mr Ormrod saw neighbours knocking on one door to see if anyone was injured.
They heard nothing and turned to walk away but moments later the upstairs bay window crashed to the ground.
Mum-of-six Denise Lloyd, 44, said: “As I walked from the lounge into the kitchen I heard this horrible noise and froze. I came running in and saw the wagon. There were people running out of the houses.”
Yesterday Liverpool City Council engineers carried out an extensive clear-up and surveyors were expected to visit the properties today.
Witnesses are asked to call Merseyside Police on 0151 777 5702/5771.
THE ECHO