A 70-year-old woman died after she was run over by a Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services (TNFRS) fire tender at Egmore on Sunday morning.
According to the police, the accident occurred a few minutes after Jayalakshmi and her five-year-old grandson, Sabarinathan arrived at Chennai Egmore station from Tiruvarur on Sunday morning.
Jayalakshmi’s son, Venkatesan (57) had come to the station to pick them up.
“He had come on his bike. After picking them up, he took the Poonamallee High Road and then a left towards Gengu Reddy Subway to reach his house in Maduravoyal,” said a police officer attached to the Anna Square traffic investigation station.
At the junction, a fire tender was also taking the left turn.
“The bike was coming on the left of the fire fighting vehicle and the edge of the vehicle hit the two-wheeler. All three fell down and the fire tender’s wheels ran over the leg of the elderly woman. The other two sustained injuries,” said a police source.
The three of them were rushed to the Kilpauk Medical College hospital, but Jayalakshmi died on the way. The other two victims are undergoing treatment at the hospital.
The driver of the fire tender, Sekar (53) was arrested and further investigations are on, the police said.
Sources with the TNFRS said the fire tender was on its way from the Vepery fire station in response to a call from Valluvarkottam. “There was an oil spill in Valluvarkottam and many two wheelers were reported to be skidding. The fire tender attached with a water tanker was on its way to attend to the problem,” said a senior TNFRS officer.
According to sources, Sekar was a good driver. He joined the service in 1988 and was serving at the TNFRS station in Kilpauk. In 2007, he was promoted as a driver and was transferred to the fire station in Vepery.
“In 2009, Sekar served effortlessly to save people after 200 huts were gutted in a fire accident. In the process his hands got burned. He is still awaiting government compensation,” said a source.
