• The 45-year old mechanic had removed the rear wheel of the lorry and the unsupported (floor jack) had slipped and the lorry had landed on the mechanic.

By Dharshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya  

A lorry loaded with 30 tonnes of cement had slipped off its jack and crushed a  mechanic who had been engaged in attending to repairs under the lorry. He had died instantaneously as his skull was crushed under the lorry.  

The driver of the lorry transporting cement from Trinco to Polonnaruwa had got down the mechanic to the spot to attend to a fault in the lorry’s wheel.   

The tragedy had occurred when the 45-year old mechanic had removed the rear wheel of the lorry and the un supported (floor jack) had slipped and the rear part of the lorry had landed on the mechanic.  

It was reported that the lorry had a load of 600 bags of cement on it at the time of the accident. Minneriya Police are investigating the tragedy.