Glass spill, expressway roadworks choke weekend traffic out of Ho Chi Minh City

Bundles of glass fell from a truck on Saturday afternoon, causing a 5 km traffic jam on Vo Chi Cong Street around the Phu Huu Interchange and between the Long Phuoc and Long Truong toll stations, in the direction of Ho Chi Minh City's eastern gateway.

From 10 a.m., several roads to the east of Ho Chi Minh City, including Vo Chi Cong Street and the Phu Huu roundabout, began backing up for about 5 km.

These roads connect to the Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway and usually carry heavy traffic on weekends, when demand for trips to Vung Tau and Phan Thiet surges.

About an hour before the jam began, a truck carrying dozens of glass panels was traveling along Vo Chi Cong. As it neared the Phu Huu roundabout, the straps holding the load suddenly snapped, sending the panels onto the road.

Shattered glass blocked two lanes. Authorities set out warning cones well ahead of the scene and guided vehicles around the debris. Photo by Lam Anh

Traffic backs up on Vo Chi Cong Street near the spot where the glass fell from the truck.

Across stretches of more than a kilometer, vehicles inch forward to get through the Phu Huu roundabout.

Across stretches of more than a kilometer, vehicles inch forward to get through the Phu Huu roundabout.

Across stretches of more than a kilometer, vehicles inch forward to get through the Phu Huu roundabout.

A long line of container trucks inches toward the Phu Huu Interchange.

Vo Chi Cong Street links the Cat Lai port cluster with the former District 7 area and always carries heavy traffic. The spill made the congestion last longer.

Traffic backed up for more than 4 km between the Long Phuoc and Long Truong toll stations, heading from Ho Chi Minh City toward Dong Nai. Two lanes in the area are fenced off for expressway widening work, forcing vehicles to crawl bumper to bumper.

Vehicles queue along the Ring Road 3 expressway through Long Truong Ward, Ho Chi Minh City. Video by Dinh Van