Truck driver killed in freak accident in Athens suburb

A truck driver was killed on Tuesday morning after being crushed by his own vehicle in a freak accident in the suburb of Ilioupoli, southeastern Athens.

The man, about whom no personal details were made public, had parked the truck outside a supermarket but had apparently failed to put on the hand brake as, according to witnesses, the vehicle started rolling forward.

The truck driver reportedly leaped in front of the vehicle in an apparent attempt to stop it and was crushed, the same witnesses said.

Members of the fire service rushed to the scene and extricated the man from beneath the vehicle. He was transferred to hospital but declared dead on arrival.