PUNE: Four persons died, three others injured and a woman sustained severe burns when the driver of an oil tanker lost control of the vehicle and rammed against a divider on a bridge near Lonavala on the Mumbai-Pune expressway at 12.30 Tuesday afternoon, according to Highway Superintendent of Police, Lata Phad. Initial investigations suggest that the tanker was traveling at a high speed and lost control, leading to the accident.
The tanker, on its way from Pune to Mumbai, went up in flames on impact, killing the driver instantly. The blaze caused a portion of the tanker to break off and fall on passing vehicles below causing severe burns to a woman. The injured were immediately moved to Pawana Hospital nearby for medical attention.
The mishap disrupted traffic on the highway halting it temporarily, and causing congestion over several kilometers. Traffic authorities are working to restore normal traffic gradually.
Dy CM Fadnavis tweets, expresses condolence
Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis expressed his condolences on Twitter expressed his hopes for the swift recovery of the injured.
“The incident resulting in the death of four people on the Mumbai-Pune highway is extremely unfortunate. My heartfelt tribute to the victims. Three individuals sustained injuries and are currently undergoing treatment at the hospital. I pray that they find relief soon. The state police force, highway police, INS Shivaji, and the fire brigade are all present at the scene, and the fire is now under control. Traffic has been restored on one side, and the other side will resume soon. The state government is closely monitoring the situation," tweeted Devendra Fadnavis.
