ALBAWABA- At least eight people were killed and more than 20 others injured Thursday evening after a container truck lost control and triggered a massive multi-vehicle collision on Navale Bridge in the western Indian city of Pune, authorities confirmed.
The disaster unfolded on the Mumbai–Bengaluru Highway’s Katraj-Dehu Road Bypass, a notoriously dangerous stretch known for frequent accidents. Police said the speeding truck, traveling from Satara to Mumbai, is believed to have suffered brake failure while descending the bridge’s steep slope, slamming into several vehicles in its path.
The impact crushed a passenger car between two trucks and sparked an inferno that engulfed multiple vehicles, sending plumes of black smoke into the evening sky.
Eyewitness videos showed the truck careening out of control moments before the crash, followed by explosions and panicked screams as flames spread across the scene.
Rescue teams from the Pune Fire Brigade and police units rushed to the site, battling fires and using hydraulic cutters to free survivors trapped in mangled wreckage. Ambulances ferried the injured to Sassoon General Hospital and nearby clinics, where at least four victims remain in critical condition with severe burns and trauma.
The truck driver was detained for questioning as investigators examine possible mechanical failure and speeding, recurring factors in previous accidents at the site.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed condolences to the victims’ families, calling the crash “heart-wrenching,” and announced financial aid of ₹5 lakh (about $6,000) for each of the deceased. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar also extended sympathies and urged immediate safety reviews along the busy corridor.
Traffic on the highway was paralyzed for hours as emergency teams cleared debris and diverted vehicles.
Thursday’s crash is the latest in a string of deadly incidents on the Navale Bridge, long regarded as a death trap due to its sharp curves, inadequate signage, and heavy freight traffic.
Just two weeks earlier, on October 30, a tile-laden truck veered into several cars at the same location, killing three people and injuring twelve.
