Four hurt as trucks collide head-on near Phagwara

Four persons sustained serious injuries after a devastating road accident involving two trucks on National Highway-1 near Eastwood in Phagwara. The injured were rushed to the Civil Hospital in Phagwara.

According to doctors, one of the injured persons is in an extremely critical condition, while the identities of the victims could not be established as they were not in a position to speak.

The accident occurred when a container truck travelling from Phagwara to Jalandhar collided head-on with a gravel-laden truck coming from the opposite direction. Preliminary findings indicate that the driver of one of the trucks reportedly dozed off while driving, causing him to lose control of the vehicle. The truck crossed the central divider, entered the opposite carriageway and crashed into the coming truck.

The impact of the collision was so severe that both vehicles suffered extensive damage and their cabins were badly mangled. Eyewitnesses said after the crash, vehicle parts were scattered across the highway. Following the collision, the tyres of both trucks caught fire, creating panic at the scene and posing an additional risk to those involved.

Police teams rushed to the spot soon after receiving information about the accident. Considering the seriousness of the situation, fire brigade personnel from Phagwara were called in and managed to bring the blaze under control after considerable effort. Rescue operations were carried out and the injured were shifted to the hospital.

The accident also led to a major traffic disruption on the busy national highway, resulting in a long traffic jam during the morning rush hours. Commuters faced inconvenience until the authorities cleared the scene and restored the flow of traffic. Damaged vehicles were later removed from the highway with the help of cranes.

The police have registered a case and initiated an investigation to ascertain the exact circumstances that led to the accident. — OC