8 killed as truck collides with 20 vehicles in Pune, fans fire

Repeated calls have been made for urgent safety measures including better road engineering, warning systems, and stricter enforcement of heavy vehicle movement

Eight people were killed and at least twenty others injured on Thursday when a container truck traveling from Satara to Mumbai lost control and ploughed into over 20 vehicles, setting off a chain collision at around 5:30 pm on the Navale Bridge near Narhe, a stretch known for frequent fatal accidents.

During the incident, two trucks and several cars caught fire, bringing traffic to a standstill. (HT PHOTO)

During the incident, two trucks and several cars caught fire, bringing traffic to a standstill and creating chaos for commuters on the busy highway, said officials.

Sambhaji Kadam, deputy commissioner of police (zone III), said the accident occurred when the brakes of the container truck failed while descending the steep slope after the Katraj tunnel. “The death toll has climbed to eight. Some of the deceased have been identified. Also, at least 20 persons were injured and undergoing treatment,” he said.

“During the bizarre incident, a small car trapped between two trucks was completely crushed,” Kadam said.

According to Devendra Potphode, fire department chief, Pune, at around 6 pm, the fire brigade received a call about the accident. Fire tenders and rescue vehicles from Navale, Sinhagad, and Warje fire stations were immediately deployed, along with support from Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) fire units.

“All forces were combined to control and extinguish the massive blaze. The heat was intense as the car was CNG-fueled, and although the fire didn’t spread rapidly at first, it was later aggravated by the combustion of CNG, diesel, and petrol,” said Potphode.

Nearly 70 personnel were involved in the firefighting and rescue operations. “Our first vehicle reached the spot within five minutes. Tragically, two women and a child were found on the rear seat of the car, while two men occupied the front seats. The truck driver and cleaner were also charred to death. It was an extremely difficult operation; the bodies were completely burnt and crushed, making the extraction a challenging task,” said Potphode.

The deceased have been identified as Swati Santosh Navalkar, 37; Shanta Dattatray Dabhade, 54; Dattatray Chandrakant Dabhade, 58; Mokshita Hemkumar Reddy, 3; Dhananjay Kumar Koli, 30 and Rohit Dnyaneshwar Kadam, 25. Two others are yet to be identified.

The injured have been identified as Sofia Amjad Sayyed, 15; Ruksana Ibrahim Buran, 45; Bismillah Sayyed, 38; Ismail Abbas Buran, 52; Amol Mule, 46; Santosh Surve, 45; Sayyed Shalima Sayyed, Zulekha Amjad Sayyed, 32; Amjad Sayyed, 40; Satish Waghmare, 35; Sohel Ramnudin Sayyed, 20; Shamrao Pote, 79 and Ankit Salian, 30.

The injured were immediately rushed to nearby hospitals, said officials.

Authorities immediately sealed off the Satara-to-Mumbai lane on the Navale Bridge to avert further accidents. Traffic police issued an advisory urging motorists to avoid the stretch for at least two hours and, if necessary, use the old Katraj tunnel route. Additional police personnel were deployed to manage diversions and ease the resulting congestion.

Following the tragic accident, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced an ex gratia of ₹5 lakh each to the families of those killed. “The incident of some people losing their lives in the accident on the new bridge in Pune is extremely tragic and heartbreaking. I offer my heartfelt tribute to the victims and share in the grief of their families. The heirs of the deceased will be provided financial assistance of ₹5 lakh each,” Fadnavis said.

Navale Bridge has been the site of several crashes in recent years. In May 2025, in an accident involving a truck on the same stretch killed a two-wheeler rider.

In November 2022, a runaway truck ploughed into at least 48 vehicles, damaging 24 of them and injuring around 20 people, six of whom required hospitalization.

Repeated calls have been made for urgent safety measures, including better road engineering, warning systems, and stricter enforcement of heavy vehicle movement. However, despite frequent reviews and promises, the steep descent continues to endanger lives.