Dump truck falls through upper level of parking garage in New Jersey
NORTH BERGEN, New Jersey -- 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.
