PUNE, 13 NOV. A major accident occurred in the notorious Navale Bridge area of Pune on Thursday, resulting in the collision of at least eight vehicles. So far, at least five persons have been killed and 10 others injured. Adding to the chaos, reports confirm that at least two of the vehicles caught fire.
Pune Police and emergency services immediately responded to the situation, with multiple ambulances and fire tenders being deployed to the accident site.
The accident took place on the 'Selfie Point' section of the highway, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Sinhagad Police Station. An officer from Pune City Police stated that around 15 people were injured, and all have been taken to the hospital by ambulance. The accident site is identified as the Katraj Dehu Road Bypass on the Pune-Bangalore Highway.
DCP Sambhaji Kadam confirmed the severity of the crash, stating: "At least five deaths have been reported so far. All agencies are responding to the situation."
DCP Traffic Himmat Jadhav announced that the lane heading from Satara towards Mumbai has been completely shut down for traffic. Efforts are currently underway to remove the damaged vehicles and shift the injured to nearby hospitals, an operation expected to take some time. Jadhav advised motorists: "Motorists are advised to avoid this route for the next two hours. Travel on this stretch should be undertaken only if absolutely necessary. Vehicles travelling from Satara towards Mumbai are urged to take the old Katraj Ghat route as an alternative."
The Navale Bridge area has a tragic history of major accidents. It is recalled that in November 2022, a massive crash was reported in the same vicinity in which a truck collided with at least 48 vehicles, causing heavy damage to 24 of them. Around 20 persons were injured in that earlier accident, with six hospitalised and others administered first aid.
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