Trucker dies as oil tanker falls off Mumbai-Ahmedabad bridge

A 30-year-old driver, Ashish Kumar Yadav, lost his life in a freak accident when the crude oil-filled tanker he was driving plunged off the Manor Bridge  (Manor is 60km north of Borivli) on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway on Sunday. The oil tanker fell from a 25-foot-high bridge, breaking on impact. The force of the crash caused significant structural damage, leading to a major fuel spill.
 
Yadav , the sole breadwinner of his family, had married just last November, said his uncle, Vishwa Vijay Yaduvanshi. “He was a responsible member of our home. He last visited in November for his wedding. He is survived by his parents, two sisters, and a younger brother,” he added.

The CCTV footage shows people running for cover as the truck falls off the bridge

His cousin, Dilip Yadav, also a driver, was the first to reach the accident site. “Ashish and I had left Nhava Sheva together for Silvassa. He was slightly ahead. When I reached the accident site, I slowed down and was shocked. His mobile phone was completely damaged, but the ambulance driver removed the SIM card and inserted it into another handset. Since I had been trying desperately to call Ashish, the driver answered and told me to come to the hospital—where I learned that he was no more. Now, I am taking his mortal remains to our hometown in Pratapgarh,” sobbed Dilip while speaking to mid-day. 

The fully loaded oil tanker came crashing down after breaking through the bridge’s safety wall. CCTV footage captured the chaos, showing people running for safety as the tanker smashed through the barrier.

‘We saw the tanker falling’

“I was there when it happened. Everyone was busy with their work when we suddenly heard a loud crash. Before we could react, we saw the tanker falling off the bridge,” said Ravi Padekar, a local vegetable vendor. “The rear hit the ground first with a loud thud before it toppled onto the driver’s side, trapping him inside.”

The damaged truck (right) The spot where the truck fell from

Padekar added, “The rear of the tanker was mangled, causing a massive fuel spill, which then caught fire. We rushed to douse the flames with buckets of water, but the crude oil was spilling rapidly. We finally connected a pipe from a nearby hotel and managed to put out the fire. By the time the police, fire engines, and ambulance arrived, the driver had already succumbed to his injuries.”

Thankfully, no passersby were injured, but the oil spill made the road hazardous for other vehicles. The situation worsened when the tanker caught fire due to sparks igniting the spilt fuel. “Thankfully, a passing water tanker helped douse the fire,” said an eyewitness.

‘Adjust height of safety walls’

Harbans Singh Nanade, spokesperson of the All India Vahan Chalak Malak Mahasangha, told mid-day that the height of side protection walls needs to be adjusted to match the new lane elevation due to ongoing white-topping work on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway.

“The bridge curves to the right, and Yadav, who was driving in the right lane, somehow veered left before crashing through the steel railing. The tanker fell from a height of 25 feet, hitting the ground tail-first, which caused the explosion and massive spill,” Nanade explained. 

He warned that ongoing white-topping work has raised the height of the lanes on flyovers, making the existing safety walls less effective. “If the walls aren’t adjusted accordingly, they may not prevent heavy vehicles from toppling over, increasing the risk of fatal accidents,” he said.

When asked about the issue, Sumit Kumar, manager of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), told mid-day, “We have written to NHAI headquarters in Delhi, and a tender will be floated to raise the steel railing height from 200 mm to 300 mm.” Kumar added that 96 per cent of NH-48’s concreting is complete. 

Police book deceased driver

Superintendent of Palghar police, Balasaheb Patil, said, “The driver lost control of the vehicle and died on the spot.” However, Manor police have registered an FIR against Yadav for negligent driving. “He has been booked for rash driving causing a fatal accident. He was heading to Silvassa from Nhava Sheva port,” said Inspector Ranvir Bayes, in charge of Manor police station.

Meanwhile, Patil said authorities will inspect the tanker to determine the exact cause of the accident.  The massive crude oil spill left the roads dangerously slippery, forcing authorities to cordon off the area as crowds gathered to witness the tragedy.