A routine evening commute turned tragic on Thursday when a speeding container truck lost control on Pune’s Navale Bridge stretch, crashing into multiple vehicles and killing eight people on the spot.
Police said the heavily loaded truck was travelling downhill towards Mumbai when it failed to brake, first hitting a minibus and then ramming into another container truck ahead. A small car was caught between the two trucks and was crushed. The impact triggered a massive fire that engulfed all three vehicles.
Among the victims were five members of the family travelling in the car, including a woman, her parents and a three-year-old child, along with two occupants of the truck. Fourteen others suffered injuries and were taken to nearby hospitals.
An FIR has been registered against the deceased truck driver, the cleaner, and the vehicle owner for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and violations under the Motor Vehicles Act.
Officials noted that the Navale Bridge section is a known accident-prone “black spot,” with several major crashes reported over the years. Traffic towards Mumbai remained shut for hours as police cleared the debris.
A detailed investigation is underway to determine whether brake failure, overspeeding, or vehicle overload caused the crash.
