Two dead after speeding truck rams into safety railing, falls down bridge into river in Pune

Both the victims, who were in the cabin of the truck struggled for their lives and called for help, but their efforts went in vain. When water started entering the cabin, calls seeking ‘ we are inside ’ were heard by the rescuers, but before they could be saved they drowned, police said.

A speeding tanker crashed into the safety railing of the Kamgar Putala bridge in Shivajinagar and fell down into the river on Friday night killing the driver and cleaner. The fire department tried to rescue them, but they had already died.

The tanker crashed into the safety railing of the Kamgar Putala bridge in Shivajinagar. (HT PHOTO)

According to the fire brigade officials, the ill-fated truck with the driver and cleaner fell into the river and got stuck in the sludge.

Both the victims, who were in the cabin of the truck struggled for their lives and called for help, but their efforts went in vain. When water started entering the cabin, calls seeking ‘ we are inside ’ were heard by the rescuers, but before they could be saved they drowned, police said.

The police woke up the lifeguard Rajesh Kachi at 4 am and he entered the water with the help of a ladder and was accompanied by the police. They heard the sound ‘I am inside’ for the next five to seven minutes and after that there was pin drop silence, rescuers maintained.

Here are some pictures of the rescue operation:

The truck got stuck in the sludge in the river after it fell off the bridge.

Fire brigade officials fish out the bodies of the truck driver and cleaner from the vehicle.

A local train track, which runs just above the river, had onlookers check the rescue operation in action on Saturday.