What Caused the Massive Pile-Up on the Muzaffarpur-Darbhanga Highway?
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Patna, Jan 12 (NationPress) The extreme cold and thick fog enveloping North Bihar led to a complete halt in traffic on Monday morning, resulting in a significant road accident on the Muzaffarpur-Darbhanga National Highway.
This incident took place near Kewatsa Chowk, within the Benibad police station jurisdiction, where visibility was severely reduced, causing a collision involving approximately six vehicles, including three ambulances.
The pile-up was so catastrophic that an ambulance registered in Assam was utterly destroyed, leaving three individuals, including the driver, critically injured. Eyewitnesses reported that the Assam-registered ambulance was transporting a patient reliant on a ventilator and oxygen support.
The collision's force was so intense that it crushed the front end of the ambulance, trapping the driver and the patient's relatives inside. Local villagers, upon hearing cries for assistance, swiftly arrived at the scene and demonstrated impressive quick thinking. They utilized sticks and iron rods to break open the ambulance's doors and windows, eventually rescuing those trapped.
The injured were promptly rushed to a nearby hospital; however, due to their serious conditions, they were subsequently referred to Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH) in Muzaffarpur for further treatment.
Preliminary reports indicate that the accident transpired when a vehicle in front suddenly decelerated or applied brakes in the poor visibility conditions, setting off a chain reaction among the closely following vehicles.
Upon receiving notification, the Benibad police promptly arrived at the location. This unfortunate event caused a significant traffic jam on the National Highway. With assistance from local villagers and a crane, the police managed to clear the wrecked vehicles and restore the flow of traffic.
The officer in charge of the Benibad police station mentioned that an investigation is currently underway, and efforts are being made to notify the families of the injured.
The minimum temperature across nearly all 38 districts of Bihar is below 10 degrees Celsius, compounded by low visibility. The dense fog continues to present serious hazards for commuters throughout the region.