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'We need to grieve': Bangkok Food Truck mourns employee killed in Neguac crash

'We need to grieve': Bangkok Food Truck mourns employee killed in Neguac crash

Staff at Bangkok Food Truck are devastated after a 33-year-old colleague was killed in a collision with a transport truck in Neguac on Tuesday.

Police said the man, who was a passenger in a food truck, died at the scene of the crash. The collision happened around 3 p.m., when the food truck struck the rear of the transport truck on Principale Street in the northern New Brunswick community.

"We were in shock, we're still in shock," said Randy O'Brien, manager of Bangkok Food Truck, who learned about the crash in a phone call from staff at the scene.

"It's nothing we've ever prepared ourselves for … it's devastating to us."

RCMP said the driver of the transport truck was not injured, but the driver of the food truck was taken to hospital in Tracadie.

O'Brien confirmed Wednesday morning that the Shediac-based business was involved in the crash but would not identify the employee who was killed.

He said the man was new to Bangkok Food Truck this year and was a great employee.

"It's quite rare that we find someone that can jive so well with us so quickly," he said. "This new staff was great and we were really heartbroken when we learned of the fatality."

The company has closed until July 1 to grieve., he said.

"It's hard really to even process what happened. Everything is so surreal … when this happens to one … it affects everybody."

Just metres away

This was the food truck's first visit to Neguac. O'Brien said staff were happy after returning to work after a few days off.

The vehicle, which travels across the Maritimes to serve Thai food, was about 500 metres from its actual destination in Neguac.

"It's very tragic that they were so close," he said.

RCMP said the investigation is continuing.

O'Brien said employees are cautious on the road and very serious about their work.

"I'd like to say we'd take more precautions but there's nothing we could've done," he said. "We need to grieve."

Bangkok Food Truck turned to Facebook to express its condolences to family and staff members involved.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this incredibly difficult time," the company said in its post. "We are all very close and the entire staff are deeply saddened by this event."

Going forward

With only one of the company's two food trucks now in commission, O'Brien said it will be difficult for the company to visit all of its regular New Brunswick communities this summer.

"We do have a lot of commitments that we've made throughout the province that we're going to have to revisit," he said.