What Happened in the Truck-Trailer Collision in Jodhpur?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- The collision involved a trailer and a truck on the Bharatmala Expressway.
- The trailer driver tragically lost his life in the fire.
- Local villagers attempted to extinguish the flames with limited resources.
- Significant traffic jams resulted from the incident.
- Concerns have been raised about emergency response times.
Jaipur, Dec 22 (NationPress) A tragic road incident on the Bharatmala Expressway in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur district resulted in a devastating fire, taking the life of a trailer driver who was burnt alive.
Another individual suffered severe injuries, while the traffic on the highway was disrupted for several hours.
The accident transpired around 10 p.m. on Sunday along the Bharatmala Highway between Ratan Nagar and Chandaliya villages under the Osian police station jurisdiction.
As per Osian SHO Rajendra Chaudhary, a trailer transporting clay intended for tile manufacturing was en route from Punjab to Gujarat. Upon reaching the Ratan Nagar-Chandaliya stretch, it collided with a peanut-loaded truck ahead. The force of the impact caused the trailer to veer off, crashing into the divider and igniting a huge fire. Within moments, flames consumed the trailer’s cabin.
The driver was trapped and died after being engulfed in flames, while the cleaner suffered serious injuries. Local villagers hurried to the scene, trying to extinguish the flames using tractor-mounted water tankers filled from nearby tube wells. However, the fire intensified due to the combustible materials. A fire tender from Osian, approximately 30 km away, arrived around an hour later, managing to control the blaze after nearly two hours of strenuous efforts.
The truck involved in the incident was loaded with peanuts, which also ignited due to the extreme heat. Thankfully, the truck driver escaped unharmed.
The massive inferno caused panic in the vicinity, with flames visible from a considerable distance.
This unfortunate accident resulted in a 5km traffic jam on both sides of the expressway. The Osian police later arrived to redirect vehicles through alternative routes to alleviate the congestion.
Local residents expressed their discontent, alleging that despite the severity of the incident, authorities from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) arrived late. They claimed that no immediate firefighting measures were in place, allowing the vehicles to be completely consumed by fire before the fire brigade arrived.