A TRUCK with a suspected faulty handbrake rolled down a hill and killed three farm workers and injured four others.
The accident happened on Monday shortly before 4pm on a rural lane adjoining a field in Benifairo de les Valls(Valencia province).
The truck had been parked on a slope and the driverless vehicle collided with two vans in the field where workers were loading up oranges.
Those who died were Pakistani nationals aged 50, 22 and 23 years while four others were seriously injured and taken to hospitals across the region.
One of them was airlifted to Valencia’s La Fe Hospital with multiple trauma.
The driver tested negative for alcohol and drugs with the Guardia Civil’s working theory being that a handbrake failure caused the tragedy.
Benifairo mayor, Toni Sanfrancisco, went to the scene and confirmed those who died came from towns around Valencia province working on the orange harvest.
Valencian president, Carlos Mazon, said he was ‘dismayed’ by the accident.
He sent his ‘deepest condolences’ to the families of the deceased and committed himself to help the Benifairo community in any way he can.
