A catastrophic road accident on the Bharatmala Expressway in Jodhpur district late Sunday night claimed the life of a trailer driver, who was trapped and burnt alive. Another person sustained serious injuries, and traffic on the highway was disrupted for several hours due to the incident.
The accident occurred around 10 p.m. on the stretch between Ratan Nagar and Chandaliya villages under the Osian police jurisdiction. According to SHO Rajendra Chaudhary, a trailer carrying clay for tile manufacturing, traveling from Punjab to Gujarat, collided with a peanut-laden truck ahead. The impact caused the trailer to lose control, hit the divider, and ignite a massive fire.
The flames quickly engulfed the trailer’s cabin, trapping the driver inside. The cleaner onboard sustained serious injuries. Local villagers rushed to assist, using tractor-mounted water tankers filled from nearby tube wells, but the highly flammable material intensified the blaze. Firefighters from Osian, located 30 km away, reached the site after nearly an hour and controlled the fire after almost two hours of effort.
Also Read: #BreakingNews: Family Burns Widow, Paramour Alive Over Relationship in Rajasthan
The truck carrying peanuts also caught fire due to the intense heat, but its driver managed to escape unharmed. The massive blaze caused panic among local residents, with flames visible from a long distance, while the accident led to a 5 km traffic jam in both directions. Police diverted vehicles via alternate routes to ease congestion.
Residents criticized the delayed response from administrative authorities and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials, stating that no immediate firefighting arrangements were in place. This delay reportedly allowed the vehicles to burn completely before fire services arrived.
Authorities continue to investigate the accident to determine the exact cause and assess if negligence contributed to the scale of the fire. Meanwhile, emergency services have urged drivers to exercise caution on the expressway, especially during night travel, citing the hazards of heavily loaded vehicles and high-speed traffic.
Also Read: Imran Khan Is Alive, Says PTI Senator, Reveals Pressure to Exile Former PM