Death Toll in Jaipur LPG Tanker Incident Reaches 14
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Jaipur, Dec 21 (NationPress) The death toll from the tragic accident and fire in Jaipur has tragically reached 14 as more individuals succumbed to their severe burn injuries.
The incident occurred on Friday morning along the Ajmer Highway in Jaipur, resulting in the immediate loss of eight lives and leaving over 35 others injured, following a collision between an LPG gas tanker and a truck. The number of casualties continued to rise throughout the day.
The collision led to a massive explosion and a fire that engulfed the surrounding area, injuring over 35 people.
Given the horrific nature of the burns, further fatalities are anticipated.
The accident happened when the LPG tanker, which was traveling from Ajmer towards Jaipur, attempted a U-turn back to Ajmer and collided with an oncoming truck from Jaipur.
The collision resulted in a gas leak that spread over a 200-meter radius before igniting into a massive fireball.
This explosion caused extensive destruction, igniting more than 40 vehicles in the vicinity.
Numerous victims were trapped, including workers from a nearby pipe factory.
A sleeper bus carrying 34 passengers also caught fire; of these, 20 suffered severe burns, while 14 others, including the driver and conductor, are still unaccounted for.
The fire generated by the explosion produced towering flames that burned many birds in the area.
Several vehicles on the highway, including the bus and a truck, were engulfed in the flames. The intense heat even caused a motorcycle rider's helmet to melt and adhere to his face, severely injuring his eyes.
Tragically, eight individuals were burned alive, and 35 others sustained burns.
Even hours post-incident, local residents reported feeling suffocated and experiencing irritation in their eyes due to the lingering smoke.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences for the lives lost in this tragic accident and announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the deceased from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund, along with Rs 50,000 each for the injured.
