Odisha: Truck Driver Burnt Alive on National Highway 60 Near Laxmannath Toll Plaza

Balasore (Odisha): The driver of a container truck was burnt alive after the vehicle caught fire when it rammed into a road divider at Laxmannath area here on Sunday, police said.

Personnel from Jaleswar police station and fire fighters reached the spot and managed to douse the flames after an hour, they said.

The driver was charred to death and he is yet to be identified, a police officer said.

The accident took place around 2.30 am when the driver of the truck was on its way to Tamil Nadu from West Bengal lost control over the wheels after it rammed the toll booth. The vehicle then went up in flames within seconds, trapping him.

After the call, Fire Service personnel reached the spot and managed to douse the flames after an hour-long effort. However, the driver could not be rescued.

It is being suspected that the driver might have dozed off, leading to the accident.

The highway witnessed massive traffic jam following the mishap as charred remains of the truck blocked the road. Normalcy could be restored at around 5 am after the burnt truck was removed with the help of a crane, sources said.

The vehicle suddenly caught fire after hitting the road divider at Laxmannath toll plaza on National Highway-60, he said.

Traffic movement was disrupted for some time following the accident, the officer added. 

With PTI Inputs