A truck caught fire in a multi-vehicle accident

 Investigative sources revealed on the 22nd that the truck driver (54) involved in the multi‑vehicle crash that killed six people on the Shin‑Meishin Expressway in Kameyama, Mie Prefecture, told police, “I wasn’t paying close attention to the road ahead.”

The accident occurred before dawn on the 20th. The driver’s large truck rear‑ended a passenger car that was stuck in traffic near the exit of a tunnel. The car was crushed beyond recognition. Police believe the driver failed to slow down sufficiently due to inattention and slammed into the vehicle.

At the time, construction about one kilometer ahead had reduced the speed limit to 50 km/h. The passing lane beyond the tunnel exit was also closed, causing congestion in the tunnel’s driving lane.

Police have seized documents from the driver’s transport company and are analyzing the truck’s dash‑cam data to determine the vehicle’s movements before the crash.

The collision triggered a chain reaction involving another car and a large trailer. Six people, including three children, riding in the two passenger cars were killed.