Huge cranes rescue multi-tonne truck that flipped off Wellington road

A multi-tonne truck that rolled off a narrow, winding road and down a bank in Wellington's Aro Valley has been successfully rescued.

The multi-tonne truck crashed down a bank on Thursday morning and landed only metres from occupied homes.

Two huge cranes were brought in to salvage the wreck on Friday.

Residents parked up to watch the retrieval throughout the morning.

The truck was being held in place by a cable before it could be raised up the bank.

Mortimer Terrace was closed overnight, with cordons in place, and ten residents were evacuated because of the risk the truck might fall on them.

Linesmen had to cut down power lines above the scene of the truck crash for the cranes to fit on the narrow, winding road.

A truck towed parked cars from surrounding streets to make room for the cranes.

The driver was not inside when the truck rolled and no-one was injured.

The council said it did not know the precise reason for the crash and said the investigation would be a matter for the police.

The truck belonged to a subcontractor for Fulton Hogan and was used for vacuuming stormwater drains.

Work to retrieve the truck began at 7am on Friday.

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