Tanker collision death toll reaches 14, over 28 injured

NEW DELHI: The death toll from the massive fire on Bhankrota Ajmer road in Jaipur has reached 14, according to Jaipur DCP West Amit Kumar. The fire started early Friday morning when an LPG tanker collided with a truck, causing a gas leak and a huge blaze.The flames destroyed 37 vehicles and left 28 people injured, many of them in critical condition.The crash took place around 5:30am near a school on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway. Jaipur Police Commissioner Biju George Joseph said, “The gas leaked from the tanker and caused a fire that spread very quickly. Vehicles behind the tanker and those coming from the opposite side were caught in the flames.”People nearby described the scene as terrifying. “I saw people running and shouting for help. A man was completely on fire. It was horrifying,” said a school van driver who was on his way to pick up students. Thick black smoke filled the sky, and the fire could be seen from a kilometer away.More than 25 ambulances rushed the injured to SMS Hospital in Jaipur. The vehicles destroyed in the fire included trucks, buses, bikes, auto rickshaws, and cars.The highway was closed for several hours as authorities worked to remove the damaged vehicles, finally reopening it later that night.