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TW Bowler Heavy Haulage said the "unforseeable failure of a hydraulic component" led to a 105-tonne concrete section of a flyover in Leeds falling off its trailer during demolition works over the weekend.

The beam had been removed on Friday night (15 May) as part of Balfour Beatty’s £31m A64 flyover replacement works in Leeds city centre.

According to Leeds City Council, the section fell from its resting position onto the ground after being placed on the specialist trailer, ready to be taken away.

There were no reported injuries and the section was subsequently broken up at the site and moved over the weekend.

A Leeds City Council spokesperson said: “The beam was broken down on site on Saturday and then transferred by wagons to be recycled. The specialist vehicle that the beam was loaded on to was not seriously damaged and there was no damage to the carriageway.”

An investigation is now underway to establish the cause of accident.

In a statement on Facebook, Stockport-based TW Bowler Heavy Haulage said: “Thanks from T W Bowler for numerous calls and messages regarding the unavoidable accident on Friday night.

“The team are all safe and well. To put a conclusion to the numerous theories, the accident cause was a component failure.

“Great team work from all parties involved in the project over the past few years and we continue going forward.”

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