Maharashtra: Oil tanker falls off Manor bridge, driver killed; fire sparks chaos

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A 30-year-old driver, Ashish Kumar Yadav, tragically lost his life in a freak accident when the crude oil-filled tanker he was driving fell off the Manor Bridge at Mastan Naka on Sunday evening.

The fully loaded oil tanker came crashing down on the road after demolishing the safety wall of the bridge. The chaotic scene was captured by a CCTV camera; in the footage, people are seen running for safety after they learned that a tanker had crashed into the safety wall on the bridge. Witnesses were left stunned as they watched the horrific crash unfold.

Fortunately, no passersby were injured in the fatal incident, but the spill of oil on the road created a hazardous situation for the road users.

The superintendent of Palghar police Balasaheb Patil told mid-day that the driver died on the spot, ‘as he lost control over the vehicle'.

The situation worsened when the tanker caught fire after sparks ignited, intensifying the danger for those nearby. "But thankfully a local water tanker, which was passing from the accident site, helped dousing the fire," said an eyewitness, requesting anonymity.

However, Palghar police have booked the driver for rash driving causing a fatal accident.

"Yadav has been booked for negligent driving causing a fatal accident. He was heading to Silvasa from Nhava Sheva port," said inspector Ranvir Bayes, in-charge of Manor police station where an FIR has been registered against the driver.

The roads became slippery and unsafe for the users after the accident, as the diesel spilled all over the stretch prompting the authorities to take safety measures including cordoning off the accident site where onlookers gathered to see the tragedy.