Fujairah Emirate (UAE): Fourteen people, including Indian nationals, have died in a horrific chain-reaction road accident in the Emirate of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. The UAE Ministry of Interior has confirmed that 30 people sustained injuries in the incident.
What happened?
Late Wednesday night, on Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Road near the entrance to the Emirate of Fujairah, a speeding truck went out of the driver’s control, collided with another vehicle, and overturned. It subsequently plowed into several other vehicles that had come to a halt due to slow-moving traffic. The force of the impact caused the truck to catch fire; the flames spread to nearby vehicles, significantly increasing the number of casualties. A total of 23 vehicles—comprising 5 trucks and 18 cars—were damaged in this chain-reaction accident. Furthermore, the intensity of the collision ignited the truck, and the fire rapidly spread to several surrounding vehicles, leading to a higher toll of deaths and injuries. Furthermore, three individuals—including UAE nationals and a three-year-old child of Kerala origin—have died. Among the 30 injured are citizens of India, the UAE, Oman, Pakistan, Brazil, Jordan, and Egypt. Of those injured, 15 have received treatment and been discharged from the hospital, while the remaining 15 are still undergoing treatment.
As the bodies were charred in the fire, DNA testing is being conducted to identify the deceased. Meanwhile, the Consulate General of India in Dubai has expressed deep condolences regarding this tragic incident.