Driver, cleaner from UP charred to death in Tiruchy accident

Tiruchy: A driver and cleaner were charred to death after two lorries caught fire in a collision in Tiruchy on Thursday.

A lorry from Ariyalur with cement load was proceeding to Nagercoil and Sivasakthi (26) from Kulithalai was on the wheels while another lorry that had unloaded the windmill equipment in Thoothukudi was returning to Tiruchy and Indra Manipal (36) from UP was driving the lorry with cleaner Pawan Patel (25) also from the UP.

Around 1 am on Thursday, while both the lorries were nearing Thuvarankurichi, Indra Manipal driving from Thoothukudi attempted to negotiate away from hitting another lorry. He lost control and crossed the median and hit the cement laden lorry from Ariyalur. In the impact, a sudden fire broke out in both the lorries. While Sivasakthi and his cleaner escaped, Indra Manipal and Pawan Patel who were trapped inside the lorry, were charred to death.

Fire and Rescue Service personnel from Manapparai and Thuvarankurichi rushed to the spot and doused the fire. Police registered a case, retrieved the bodies and sent it to the GH for post-mortem. Traffic was hit on Tiruchy-Madurai bypass for more than two hours due to the accident.