2 charred to death in tanker-trailer collision near Howrah

Two vehicles, one of which was carrying highly inflammable substances, collided on Kona Expressway near here early Thursday morning killing the two drivers besides injuring a constable, police said.

A trailer and a gas-laden tanker, which were involved in the accident, went up in flames instantly. Train services and vehicular traffic were disrupted following the accident.

The accident took place on the expressway in Howrah district at around 4 am when the trailer lost control and hit the tanker, police said. Within seconds, both the vehicles caught fire and the two drivers were charred to death, the police said.

As many as seven fire tenders rushed to the spot and doused the flames, fire brigade said.

A police constable, who suffered burns, has been admitted to Howrah General Hospital.

The fire damaged overhead wires on the Howrah-Amta section of the South Eastern Railway as a result of which three pairs of Howrah-Amta local trains were cancelled, SER spokesman Sanjay Ghosh said.

The impact is being felt on national highways near the accident site.