After a road traffic accident (RTA) involving a lorry carrying nectarines on the Samara — Shymkent highway in West Kazakhstan Region (WKR) local residents began to salvage the remaining cargo. According to eyewitnesses, disputes and scuffles broke out among people as they gathered the fruit scattered along the road.
WHAT HAPPENED
According to the television channel Astana TV, the accident occurred in the Baiterek district, WKR. After the lorry overturned, tens of tonnes of nectarines were scattered along the roadside.
According to eyewitnesses, the driver waited for help for several days. Having received no recovery vehicle, he offered local residents the chance to take the intact fruit for free.
HOW LOCAL RESIDENTS COLLECTED THE CARGO
After the driver's announcement, dozens of villagers arrived at the scene. According to eyewitness accounts, they collected approximately 20 tonnes of nectarines in less than an hour.
However, it is reported that the process was accompanied by arguments among people. Eyewitnesses also claim that in some cases scuffles broke out.
WHAT RESIDENTS ARE SAYING
Many local residents, according to eyewitnesses, expressed sympathy for the driver. They also consider this section of the highway to be accident-prone and are calling on the relevant authorities to take additional measures to improve road safety.
Local resident Ravkhat Khalelov noted that, in his opinion, people could have shown more restraint when collecting the fruit. He also said that he suggested to those involved that they at least partially compensate the cost of the cargo, but, according to him, some participants pushed each other and snatched nectarines from one another.
