Four injured as Civic tanker runs amok on Indore bridge; brake failure suspected
Indore: At least four people were injured after a municipal corporation water tanker went out of control and rammed multiple vehicles on Patel Bridge in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore on Thursday, the police said.
The incident took place in the afternoon when the tanker, moving downhill on the bridge, allegedly lost control due to brake failure. Panic spread among commuters as the tanker hurtled towards traffic before colliding with several cars and motorcycles.
“The preliminary investigation suggests the accident was caused by brake failure. The tanker hit three to four cars and two motorcycles on the bridge,” a senior official from the local police station said.
Eyewitnesses said the driver attempted to steer the tanker towards the footpath after realising that the brakes had failed. The vehicle came to a halt after hitting the pavement, preventing further damage.
“Had the driver not turned the tanker towards the footpath, many more vehicles could have been hit. The situation could have been much worse,” an eyewitness told reporters at the scene.
The injured were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Soon after the collision, angry locals gathered at the spot and vandalised the tanker. Police reached the site and brought the situation under control.
“The driver fled the scene immediately after the accident. We have registered a case and efforts are on to trace him,” the police official said.
The impact of the collision left a few cars and two motorcycles damaged. The front portions of several vehicles were crushed, and broken glass was scattered across the road, disrupting traffic for nearly an hour.
Residents alleged that a poorly maintained vehicle was being operated on city roads.
“A vehicle in such condition should not have been allowed to run. It put many lives at risk,” a local resident said.
Police said the tanker has been seized and will be sent for a mechanical inspection to ascertain the exact cause of the accident.