West Bengal: Gas tanker collides with trailer at Kona Expressway; drivers charred to death

Kolkata: A gas tanker collided with a trailer head-on at Kona Expressway in West Bengal, in the wee hours of Thursday. Soon, both the vehicles went up in flames killing the drivers.

The incident took place at around 3.30 am when a trailer reportedly lost control and collided with the gas tanker. Within seconds, both the vehicles caught fire. 

By the time fire brigade and police officials reached the spot, charred bodies of drivers were recovered from both the vehicles. 

Residents said that they heard a loud explosion sound and saw a huge fire breaking out. Locals informed the fire brigade following which six fire tenders were rushed to the spot. 

"We were sleeping inside our houses when we heard a loud explosion sound. We came running to the spot and saw that a trailer and gas tanker had collided and were up in flames. The entire area was engulfed with thick black smoke. We reported the fire to the Fire and Emergency Services Department," said a resident. 

Meanwhile, the fire has been brought under control and efforts are on to douse the fire in small patches of the trailer and the tanker. 

So far, vehicular movement on the Kona Expressway has been temporarily suspended till the road is cleared. 

The incident has impacted the movement of trains too after high tension wires were ravaged by fire. An official of the South Eastern Railway informed, "Due to damage caused by fire to the high tension wire of state electricity on railway wire between Santragachi, Mourigram and Bankranawabaz, train service in Amta section has been disrupted.  Early morning EMU locals between Howrah/Santragachi and Amta has been cancelled too."

Efforts are on to clear the road so that vehicular movement can resume on the Kona Expressway.