TRUXTON — Investigators say a mechanical failure allowed a trailer hauling crushed cars to break free from a truck and careen into a minivan, killing seven people in central New York.
The Cortland County Sheriff’s Office said Friday a part intended to securely lock the coupling between the tractor and trailer failed.
Trailers are typically attached to tractors by a “fifth wheel,” in which a pin on the trailer fits into the center of a large horseshoe-shaped piece of metal and is secured by an automatic locking device.
It’s still not known why the part failed.
The crash Wednesday in Truxton, a rural town 25 miles south of Syracuse, killed three adults and four children. Another adult was released from a hospital Friday.
No tickets have been issued. The investigation is continuing.
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