JAIPUR: The death toll in the tanker-truck collision on Bhankrota Ajmer Road in Jaipur rose to 14 on Saturday, as confirmed by DCP West Jaipur, Amit Kumar. The Friday accident, which resulted in a massive fire, involved a truck loaded with chemicals colliding with a tanker carrying LPG and other vehicles.
Prior to DCP Kumar’s confirmation, Dr Deepak Maheshwari, the Principal of SMS Medical College, said in the early hours that 13 people had lost their lives in the accident so far.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his condolences to the families of the victims. In a post on X, the Prime Minister’s Office expressed grief, stating, “Deeply saddened by the loss of lives in the accident on Jaipur-Ajmer highway in Rajasthan. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is assisting those affected”. The PM also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
#WATCH | Bhankrota Fire Accident | Jaipur, Rajasthan | An eyewitness says, "When we woke up at 5.30 in the morning, we heard a blast. Those who were able to, they jumped out of the bus and those who couldn't, were burned there. A whole lane of 100-200 metres was burned." pic.twitter.com/yNlU15htzk
— ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2024
Meanwhile, on Friday, Dr Sushil Kumar Bhati, Superintendent of SMS Hospital, provided further details, confirming that seven people had died and 10 to 12 others had been injured. He noted that over 60 per cent of the victims sustained burns, with around 28 patients admitted to the hospital, six of whom are on ventilators.
Earlier, Kumar described the incident as “horrific,” explaining, “The accident and subsequent fire occurred in the Bhankrota area of Jaipur early today on the main Ajmer Road. Nearly two dozen vehicles caught fire, and many trucks and trolleys were reduced to ashes. The accident took place near a petrol pump.”
He added, “The fire started due to a collision involving several vehicles one after the other. Efforts are being made to extinguish the fire”. (ANI)