Jaipur news: ‘Saw a man engulfed in flames’, Witnesses of Ajmer highway crash recount horror, CCTV footage emerges | Today News

Jaipur news: A catastrophic collision involving a gas tanker and multiple vehicles turned a stretch of the Jaipur-Ajmer highway into an inferno on Friday morning, resulting in at least seven fatalities and injuring over 35 people. Eyewitness accounts describe a scene of chaos as flames engulfed more than 30 vehicles, with thick black smoke visible from nearly a kilometre away. The incident occurred around 5:30 am, prompting immediate responses from emergency services.

An eyewitness recounted the terrifying moments leading up to the explosion, stating, “I and my friend were travelling from Rajsamand to Jaipur…Our bus suddenly stopped around 5.30 in the morning and we heard a massive blast. There was fire everywhere around the bus…The door of the bus was locked so we broke the window and jumped out of the bus. Along with us, around 7-8 more people jumped from the window. There were continuous blasts one after the other. There was a petrol pump nearby.”

Panic ensued as flames spread rapidly, with reports of continuous blasts echoing along the highway.

A school van driver described seeing a man engulfed in flames, adding that “As I got closer to the spot, I saw people running in haste and shouting for help. I saw a man engulfed in flames. It was a frightening scene. Fire brigades and ambulances were there but it was difficult for them to reach the spot initially.” 

The driver noted that fire brigades and ambulances faced challenges reaching the site initially due to the intensity of the blaze on Jaipur-Ajmer highway.

CCTV footage from the scene showed fire sweeping over a property moments after the collision, highlighting the extent of destruction caused by the accident.

The flames not only consumed vehicles but also damaged nearby establishments, leaving a trail of devastation along the busy highway. A nearly 300-metre-long stretch of the highway was affected by the accident, leading to a long queue of vehicles.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma and Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar visited SMS Hospital to oversee treatment for the injured and assured that all necessary medical facilities would be provided.