HONG KONG - A 63-year-old truck driver who forgot to lower a 10-metre-long crane on his vehicle almost brought down an overhead bridge in Hong Kong.

The bizarre accident which happened at around 5pm on Saturday left the bridge mangled and the front of the truck suspended in mid-air , according to South China Morning Post.

Traffic in both directions along Chai Wan Road on Hong Kong Island had to be closed for hours while firefighters rescued the truck driver., He was trapped for an a half hour.

The driver suffered injuries to his nose and mouth, reported Apple Daily. No one else was hurt in the accident.

The impact of the crash bent the elevated walkway completely out of shape.

The crane and truck were left wedged into the structure, with the front of the vehicle lifted off the ground.

Cracks can be seen in the overhead bridge, which was about 4.6 metre from the ground level.

The Hong Kong Highways Department said parts of the pedestrian bridge would have to be removed for safety reasons.

"Upon initial inspection, some of the steel structures and signage were severely damaged," it said in a statement.

"The Highways Department is making the necessary arrangements for clearance works so that the road can be reopened for the public as soon as possible."

It added that the government would recover maintenance costs from the involved parties in accordance with an established mechanism for dealing with damage to public roads and facilities caused by traffic accidents.