The LPG tanker crash on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway claimed 11 lives on Friday, with nearly half of the injured individuals reported as “very critical.” The collision triggered a massive fire that consumed 37 vehicles and nearby buildings.
Dr. Deepak Maheshwari, Principal of SMS Medical College, confirmed that 11 people died, including five brought dead to SMS hospital and five who succumbed during treatment. One death was reported at Jaipuria hospital.
Police Commissioner Biju George Joseph explained that the fire began after the LPG tanker’s outlet nozzle was damaged in the crash, causing a gas leak. The accident occurred at 5:30 a.m. in front of a school, and the flames quickly spread, engulfing both vehicles behind the tanker and oncoming traffic.
Forty-three people were hospitalized, with seven placed on ventilator support. Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar confirmed that nearly half of the injured are in critical condition.
Eyewitnesses shared harrowing accounts of the disaster. One bus passenger recalled hearing a blast and seeing fire engulfing the bus. “The door was locked, so we broke the window and jumped out. There were continuous blasts, and a petrol pump was nearby,” he told ANI.
A school van driver reported flames visible from a kilometer away, describing scenes of panic and chaos. “I saw a man engulfed in flames, and it was difficult for emergency services to reach the spot initially,” he said.
Another eyewitness noted that while some passengers managed to escape the fire, others were burned alive in their vehicles. “A whole lane of 100-200 meters was burned,” he said.
In response to the tragedy, the Rajasthan government announced ₹5 lakh assistance to the families of the deceased and ₹1 lakh for the injured.
