Rescuers in action to remove bodies from the wreckage of vehicles as at least 14 people died after a cement-laden truck rammed three auto-rickshaws and a private car near the toll plaza of Gabkhan Bridge in Jhalakathi on Wednesday. — Photo: Collected A loaded truck careened through transports queuing at Gabkhan Bridge toll plaza in Jhalakathi and crashed down Wednesday, leaving at least 14 dead and over as many injured.
Police and witnesses told journalists that the rashly driven freight truck ploughed through arrays of vehicles near the toll bridge in Jhalakathi Sadar upazila and smashed a private car and a three-wheeler while crashing down about 2:00pm.
The injured were rushed to Jhalakathti Sadar Hospital and Barishal Sher-e Bangla Medical College Hospital after the transport pileup, which occurred in a string of fatal accidents in recent days after the Eid festival, including another terrible one in Faridpur a day before.
In another accident on the day, a couple died and their child was injured in a collision between two motorcycles in Naogaon district, media reports said.
Three firefighting units were conducting rescue operation after the Gabkhan accident, said fireman Shihab Uddin.
In a drive, meanwhile, police ran in the runaway truck driver and his helper. They were named Alamin Hawlader, the driver, and Nazmul Sheikh, his helper.
A cement-bearing truck bound for Jhalakathi town veered out of control and rammed three battery-operated autorickshaws and a car. The truck and the other vehicles then crashed into a nearby ditch.
The autorickshaws and car crushed under the truck.
Seven people were initially found dead on the scene. When the injured were rushed to a nearby hospital, doctors declared another four dead.
A few people with injuries were sent to Barishal Medical College Hospital, said Jhalakathi Civil Surgeon HM Zahirul. Two of the victims died there.
Fire Service personnel recovered another body from the scene during rescue operations, according to SP Afruzul.
The dead were yet to be identified.
A four-member probe committee led by an additional deputy commissioner would investigate the cause of the accident, according to Jhalakathi Deputy Commissioner Farhadul Nizhum, who went to the scene of the incident.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called to inquire about the accident, the deputy commissioner said.
The families of the dead will receive Tk 500,000 in compensation, while the injured will receive Tk 100,000 each, he added.
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