Bareilly: In a devastating incident, eight individuals, including a child, lost their lives when their SUV collided with an oncoming truck and subsequently caught fire in Bareilly, as confirmed by the police on Sunday.
The fatal accident occurred late on Saturday near Dubhaura village in the Bhojipura area on the Bareilly-Nainital Road. According to preliminary reports, the SUV’s driver lost control of the vehicle following a tire puncture. The SUV veered across the road barrier, where it collided with a truck traveling from the opposite direction.
Upon reaching the scene, law enforcement found the SUV engulfed in flames, making immediate rescue efforts futile. Superintendent of Police Sushil Chandrabhan confirmed the tragic demise of all eight occupants, including the child.
The ill-fated SUV belonged to Sumit Gupta, a grocery shop owner, who had loaned it to Furkan. Asif, a customer from Narayan Nagla village, had borrowed the SUV from Gupta, claiming his nephew Furkan needed it to attend a wedding in Bareilly.
The accident occurred just a kilometer ahead of Bhojipura police station, with eyewitnesses reporting an exceptionally high speed that led to the SUV breaching the four-lane road’s divider and colliding with the truck.
As the vehicle caught fire, the occupants were unable to exit due to malfunctioning central locking systems. Although bystanders attempted to rescue those inside, the intensity of the flames hindered their efforts. The truck involved in the collision also caught fire.
Bareilly’s Chief Fire Officer, Chandra Mohan Sharma, noted the challenges in determining the accident’s cause. Possibilities such as a tire burst, driver fatigue, or impairment due to alcohol are being considered. The exact reason will be clarified following investigations by the forensic team. The victims, all residents of Baheri area, are yet to be officially identified.
