Gujarat Tragedy: Tanker, Truck, and Car Collide and Catch Fire on Kutch-Morbi Highway; 4 Burned Alive, 7 Injured

Kutch: A tragic road accident near the Surajbari Toll Plaza on the Kutch-Morbi highway late Tuesday night claimed the lives of nine people, most of them from the same family.

The accident occurred when a gas-powered car collided with a truck and a tanker, causing all three vehicles to catch fire near Morbi town in Gujarat’s Saurashtra region.

According to reports, the fire department was immediately informed and dispatched fire tenders to the scene.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Jayeshbhai Daki confirmed that both a fire and rescue tender were rushed to the spot, with additional support sent from Bhachau due to heavy traffic congestion.

Despite swift action, four people were burned alive at the scene, while five others succumbed to injuries later at the hospital.

Seven more individuals were injured and are undergoing treatment at Samkhiyali Hospital.

Police confirmed that the victims were travelling in a Maruti Eco van from Kutch to Rajkot. The vehicle caught fire after a collision, likely due to its gas-powered system. The fire spread rapidly after impact.

Among the deceased were:

Balwant Kaladiya (64)

Ramesh Kaladiya (57)

Meena Kaladiya (52)

Saagar Kaladiya (24)

Mahesh Kaladiya (47)

Sangita Kaladiya (45)

Rajesh Kaladiya (45)

Bhavna Kaladiya (42)

Jayanti Adsesara (40) – driver

The Kaladiya family, mostly from Rajkot, was accompanied by relatives Rajesh and Bhavna, who lived in Gwalior. 

Truck Driver Missing, Case Filed

Police said the truck involved in the collision had no number plate, and its driver fled the scene immediately after the accident. A case has been registered against the unidentified driver.

According to a data published by the Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry, India has one of the highest rates of traffic accidents worldwide in 2016, with 17 fatalities and 55 accidents every hour.  

150,785 individuals were died in road accidents in India in 2016, according to a report prepared by the ministry's Transport Research Wing.

This represents a 3.3% increase from the 146,000 lakh road fatalities recorded in 2015.