Pipe crash dad and son were so lucky

A driver from Condorrat whose car bore the brunt of a falling pipe in Central Way has been talking about his lucky escape.

Brian Smith (45) and his seven
-year-old son, also Brian, were travelling to The Tryst Centre on Friday, December 6, so that Brian junior could attend swimming lessons.

Their journey was brought to a swift end around 4.30pm when a lorry hit an overhead pipe and it crashed down onto their northbound Vauxhall Corsa.

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Fortunately, the seven-year-old who had been sitting in the front seat was unscathed but firefighters from Cumbernauld and Coatbridge had to be summoned to cut his dad from the car.

They used hydraulic cutting equipment to remove the car’s roof and free its him. He was then rushed to Monklands Hospital by paramedics where he was treated for injuries for his neck, head and chest. Brian has also required emergency dental work. The road itself had to be closed until 4 a.m. the following morning.

After a number of good samaritans ran to the aid of the two Brians, the family contacted this newspaper to say thanks.

Chef Brian said: “I would particularly like to thank the first-aider who came to the door of the car, phoned my family and the emergency services. I don’t remember everything but everything went white when the pipe hit.

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“If I had been going a second faster or slower it could have been a different result. Although my son was seated on the worst affected side, the seat itself was placed too far back for my son to be hit.

“As unlucky as we were to be the ones who were in the accident itself, we have been incredibly lucky,’’ he admitted.

A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Servicesaid: “Thankfully no-one was seriously hurt in this incident but was clearly a lucky escape for those inside the car.