Six people died after a ethanol-laden truck overturned and triggered a chain collision early on Monday on the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway near Wardha, police said.
Those deceased were identified as a family of 3 from Wardha—Rajesh Ananadrao Tiple (50), Sushma Rajesh Tiple (45) and Janhavi Rajesh Tiple (16)— and their driver Ankush Raut (31), as well as Sanjay Kumar (35) and Samarjit Pal (22), both occupants of the truck.
Also Read I Rescue on as 27 workers trapped in Sikkim tunnel after landslides
A senior police officer said the ethanol-laden truck overturned on the Mumbai-bound carriageway after the driver lost control. Traffic continued on one lane as emergency teams managed the situation, when a truck rammed into a car carrying the family and their driver that had halted near the site. The impact sparked a massive fire, engulfing both vehicles. Police said the accident brought traffic on the busy expressway to a standstill.
Teams from the Highway Safety Patrol (HSP), local police, fire brigade and the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) launched rescue operations, said police. Officials said the highly combustible fuel had to be drained before the container could be moved.
{{/usCountry}}Teams from the Highway Safety Patrol (HSP), local police, fire brigade and the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) launched rescue operations, said police. Officials said the highly combustible fuel had to be drained before the container could be moved.
{{/usCountry}}Also Read I Supreme Court upholds removal of commercial activity from elephant corridor
Highway police data shows that the expressway recorded 185 accidents in 2025, a 35% spike from 137 accidents reported in 2024.