At least eight people were charred to death in a horrific accident on Thursday evening at the Navale Bridge in Pune after two trucks caught fire following a crash, trapping a private car between them.
The death toll may rise as rescue operations continue, sources said.
Fire tenders rushed to the spot immediately after the accident and managed to bring the blaze under control. However, eyewitnesses said that several passengers were trapped inside the burning vehicles before the fire brigade arrived. The incident caused a massive traffic jam on the busy highway stretch, with commuters stranded for hours.
A car was trapped between the two containers, and all the passengers in the car were charred to death. The passengers travelling in a tempo traveller were injured in the accident.
This is the second major accident near Navale Bridge in just two weeks. Earlier, a truck carrying tiles had lost control and crashed into three vehicles, leaving two drivers injured and causing heavy damage to the vehicles involved.
Officials said an investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of Thursday’s crash and whether brake failure or speeding was responsible for the tragedy.