BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country’s mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Wang Xiangnan was driving Wednesday along the highway in Guangdong province, a vital economic hub in southern China. At around 2 a.m., Wang saw several vehicles moving in the opposite direction of the four-lane highway and a fellow driver soon informed him about the collapse, local media reported.
Reacting swiftly, Wang, a former soldier, positioned his truck to block the highway, effectively stopping dozens of vehicles from advancing into danger, Jiupai News quoted Wang as saying. Meanwhile, his wife got out of the truck to alert other drivers about the situation, it said.
“I didn’t think too much. I just wanted to stop the vehicles,” Wang told the Chinese news outlet.
Wang’s courageous actions not only garnered praise from Chinese social media users but also recognition from the China Worker Development Foundation.
The foundation announced Friday that in partnership with a car company it had awarded Wang 10,000 yuan ($1,414). A charity project linked to tech giant Alibaba Group Holding also gave an equal amount to Wang, newspaper Dahe Daily reported. Wang told the newspaper he would donate the money to the families of the collapse victims.
Local media also reported that another man had knelt down to prevent cars from proceeding on the highway.
The accident came after a month of heavy rains in Guangdong. Some of the 23 vehicles that plunged into the deep ravine burst in flames, sending up thick clouds of smoke.
About 30 people were hospitalized. On Saturday, one was discharged from the hospital, state broadcaster CCTV reported. The others were improving, but one remains in serious condition.
On Saturday, the Meizhou city government in Guangdong said in a statement that authorities would conduct citywide checks on expressways, railways and roads in mountainous areas. A team led by the provincial governor is investigating the cause of the collapse, Southcn.com reported.
The Chinese government had sent a vice premier to oversee recovery efforts and urged better safety measures following calls by President Xi Jinping and the Communist Party’s No. 2 official, Premier Li Qiang, to swiftly handle the tragedy.
The dispatch of Zhang Guoqing, who is also a member of one of the ruling Communist Party’s leading bodies, illustrates the concern over a possible public backlash over the disaster, the latest in a series of deadly infrastructure failures.
In this aerial photo released by Xinhua News Agency, rescue workers at the site of a collapsed section of a highway on the Meizhou-Dabu Expressway in Meizhou, southern China's Guangdong Province on May 2, 2024. (Wang Ruiping/Xinhua via AP)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani slugged a two-run homer and scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning when the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied after blowing a 3-0 lead to beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-3 on Friday night.
Earlier, the Los Angeles city council proclaimed May 17 as Shohei Ohtani Day in the city for as long as the Japanese two-way superstar plays for the Dodgers. He signed a record $700 million, 10-year contract in December.
Ohtani bounced back after being hitless in two at-bats on his first bobblehead night Thursday. The promotion snarled traffic outside Dodger Stadium and created long lines of fans clamoring for one of the 40,000 souvenirs, some of which were quickly offered for sale online at exorbitant prices.
“He didn’t homer on his bobblehead day, so he was due,” manager Dave Roberts said. “That was a ball down below the zone or at the knees and to hit it the other way, spin it really well, a big hit. We just marvel at what he does.”
Ohtani's 30 extra-base hits are tied with former Dodger and Hall of Famer Duke Snider for the most through the team’s first 47 games. Ohtani and teammate Mookie Betts are the only players in the majors with over 100 total bases this season.
Tied at 3, Will Smith singled in Ohtani, who grounded into a fielder's choice to first and was safe at second on a throwing error by shortstop Elly De La Cruz. The Dodgers made it 5-3 when Freddie Freeman scored on a wild pitch by Fernando Cruz (1-5) that sailed to the backstop.
Fresh off the injured list, Jason Heyward hit a two-run homer in the eighth, extending the lead to 7-3.
“Awesome to be back out there. I'll never take it for granted,” he said. “I hate missing games.”
Michael Grove (2-2) got the win with one inning of relief.
Betts homered leading off the bottom of the first for the Dodgers, who avoided their second three-game losing streak of the season.
Ohtani went deep to straightaway left field in the third for his 13th homer of the season.
“The ball comes off hot, but when he goes to left field the right way, he spins the ball the right way and that’s why there’s more carry as well,” Roberts said. “When he takes a good swing on a ball the other way, I’m not surprised it goes out.”
Betts scored after a fielder's choice groundout to shortstop, giving the Dodgers a 3-0 lead.
Betts' throwing error led to Jonathan India scoring the Reds' first run in the fourth.
“Making errors really, really bothers me. Just got to be better than that,” said Betts, who switched to shortstop from right field this season. “I've definitely made some strides, but they've been some pretty short strides.”
Cincinnati got solo shots by Stuart Fairchild in the fifth and Tyler Stephenson with two outs in the sixth.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Reds: Placed LHP Justin Wilson (left shoulder tightness) on the 15-day injured list.
Dodgers: INF Max Muncy (right oblique strain) went on the 10-day IL. He felt it during batting practice Thursday and an MRI on Friday showed a mild strain. ... Transferred RHP Connor Brogdon (right plantar fasciitis) to the 60-day IL.
UP NEXT
Reds RHP Graham Ashcraft (3-2, 4.12 ERA) starts Saturday against Dodgers RHP Walker Buehler (0-1, 7.36), who goes in his third game of the season.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani is congratulated by teammates in the dugout after scoring on a single by Will Smith during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, May 17, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Cincinnati Reds' Tyler Stephenson, left, heads to first after hitting a solo home run as Los Angeles Dodgers hitting coach Aaron Bates, right, watches during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 17, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Cincinnati Reds' Tyler Stephenson, right, hits a solo home run as Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith watches during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 17, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Jason Heyward gestures as he rounds second after hitting a two-run home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds Friday, May 17, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts, left, is congratulated by Shohei Ohtani after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds Friday, May 17, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani rounds third on the way to scoring on a single by Will Smith during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, May 17, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Former NFL and University of Southern California running back Reggie Bush throws out the ceremony first pitch prior to a baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cincinnati Reds Friday, May 17, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Former NFL and University of Southern California running back Reggie Bush, left, jokes with former USC quarterback Matt Leinart after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch prior to a baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cincinnati Reds Friday, May 17, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher James Paxton throws to the plate during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds Friday, May 17, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Frankie Montas throws to the plate during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers Friday, May 17, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani heads to first after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds Friday, May 17, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani hits a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds Friday, May 17, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani has sunflower seeds tossed at him by Teoscar Hernandez after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game Friday, May 17, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
