A chemical tanker spun out of control and drove into the divider, smashing into a luxury bus around 6.30 am yesterday on Ahmedabad-Mumbai highway
Fourteen people were reported killed and another 40 injured when the driver of a tanker carrying a chemical lost control and rammed the vehicle into a divider, and then a bus full of passengers, at Medvan Khind in Manor Charoti on Wednesday. The chemical sparked a small fire, and both the drivers died instantly.
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The incident occurred at 6.30 am on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai national highway. The tanker containing polyester resin veered across the road and collided with a luxury bus, which was on its way to Mumbai. The bus passengers were mainly from Uttar Pradesh, Gurgaon, Rajasthan, Ahmedabad and Mumbai.
“The driver of the speeding tanker lost control and first rammed his vehicle into the divider, thereby colliding with the luxury bus on the way. The drivers of both the vehicles died on the spot,” said an official from Kasa police station. At the time of going to press, seven of the deceased had been identified by the Kasa police. They include Asif Ahmed Ansari (60), Subher Ansari (21), Akhil Ansari (35), Zayed Ansari (36), Pooja Oswal (20), Mahendra Oswal (28), Afreen Sheikh (22).
The bus was completely wrecked, while the tanker capsized in Wednesday’s mishap at Charoti highway. The injured were taken to Bhagwati hospital. Pics/Nimesh Dave
“Since the tanker had a chemical, a small fire broke out after the crash. Had the chemical been harsher, it would have adversely affected people, causing breathing problems and eye infections,” said a fire brigade official.
Survivor stories
The injured were taken to different hospitals, mostly to those around Dahanu. Four people were admitted in Haria LG Rotary hospital in Vapi. They include Vikram Natwarsingh Chauhan (28), Snehal Naik (35), Jitendra Ishwardas Chelane (30) and Vikram Rajput (23). Said victim Snehal Naik’s brother, “My sister has sustained injuries in her left hand and shoulder. The doctor has discharged her but she is still unable to move her hand. She was on her way to Mumbai in search of work.”
A friend of survivor Jitendra Chelane said, “He was coming to Mumbai to purchase raw materials for his garment shop in Ajmer. He has a fracture and also is complaining of chest pain for which the doctor has given him an injection.” He added that Chelane’s father would reach the hospital on Thursday. “Vikram Chauhan has a cervical spine fracture and both his legs are not moving. The family has decided to take him to their native place in north Gujarat for care and treatment,” said a hospital staff requesting anonymity.
In Borivli’s Bhagwati Hospital, nine persons were admitted with injuries. They include Chunnilal Sriram Kishore (22), Manoj Kumar Bharti (24), Ram Kishore Sawant (42), Manish Shrimishram (22), Jaisukh Nagar (39), Nagendra Kumar Prasad Harijan (24), Ashish Oswal (40), Pramod Yadav (28) and Sitara Wahid Shaikh (52). “I am from UP and I had some work in the BMC office. I was sleeping when the incident took place. It came as a total shock,” said victim Ram Kishore Sawant.
Survivor Sitara’s brother Irshad Sheikh said, “As soon as we came to know about the incident we spoke to the police and searched hospitals. We found that Sitara was admitted in Bhagwati Hospital where she was an unidentified victim. She is still unconscious. She, along with her daughter Afreen and grandson Zaid Wahid Shaikh (8) were coming back to Mumbai after attending a wedding. Her daughter is dead and the grandson is injured.”
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