A 19-year-old cleaner of a paint-laden van was charred to death after the vehicle hit the diesel tank of a steel roll-laden lorry opposite to Periyar University on Salem – Bangalore National Highway here on Saturday.
The incident took place around 5.30 a.m. when the driver of the trailer lorry could not find the route to Salem Steel Plant and proceeded in the highway. After finding the route, the lorry driver tried to take a u-turn on the highway.
But the van, proceeding towards Dharmapuri, hit the lorry resulting in both the vehicle catching fire.
The front portion of the lorry and the van was damaged as Fire and Rescue Service personnel put off the fire. The driver Vijayan (30) of Veerapandi, jumped off the vehicle while the cleaner Mohan Lal was charred to death. The body was taken to Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital while Vijayan was admitted to a private hospital.
The Traffic Investigation Wing of the city police registered a case and is on the lookout for the lorry driver.
Two killed in accident
Two persons were killed after the sand-laden tractor they were travelling fell into a road side pit in Mettur here on Friday night.
The police said that the tractor driven by Dinesh (27) of Kolathur, was on its way from Adipalar on the Tamil Nadu – Karnataka border with a labourer Gowri (25). While nearing Anaicoundan Kottai, the driver lost control and the vehicle fell into a 10-foot pit. Dinesh and Gowri died on the spot. Kolathur police have registered a case and are investigating.
