Five persons died on the spot in a multiple collision involving seven cars on the National Highway near Narthamalai in Pudukottai district on Wednesday evening.
A tyre-burst of a car bound for Tiruchi caused a collision with another car coming in the opposite side and triggered the multiple collision.
Five other cars that came behind the two vehicles were also involved in the collision, police sources said.
The victims were identified as Chidambaram, 50, Rangaraj, 32, Nagarathinam, 78, Selvam and Nagalakshmi.
Fourteen others including four children were rushed to the Pudukottai Government Hospital by the public and 108 Ambulance Service personnel.
Vehicular traffic on the Tiruchi-Pudukottai highway came to halt for over an hour due to the collision.
Accident-prone zone
The road was cleared for traffic under the supervision of Superintendent of Police S. Selvaraj.
The stretch near Narthamalai on Tiruchi-Pudukottai highway has turned an accident-prone zone in recent years.
The Keeranur police have registered a case and are investigating.
