Lorry driver charred to death

A driver was charred on the spot when two lorries caught fire near the 27th bend of Dhimbam ghat road after one vehicle reportedly ripped through the diesel tank of the other early on Monday morning.

Sparks created in the friction caused the diesel tank to burst engulfing the lorries and claiming the life of Kalimuthu (35), who was driving the lorry bound for Tirupur from Mysuru.

Kalimuthu got stuck to his seat and was charred in that position, local sources said.

His companions Senthil (40) and Javudin (24), and the driver of the other vehicle Palanichamy escaped unhurt.

The lorry driven by Kalimuthu that was proceeding to Mysuru from Namakkal broke down at Dhimbam and got stranded in the middle of the road when the Tirupur-bound vehicle collided, according to police sources.

Traffic hit

Fire and rescue service personnel from the Hassanur Fire Station extinguished the flames in an operation spanning three hours. Traffic came to a standstill between Bannari and Dhimbam for this duration.

On Sunday, a driver Asairaj (41) and a passenger Nasser Ali (32) died on the spot and 19 injured when the van they were moving in hurtled down to a 40 feet slope from the ghat road near the third bend.

The driver had reportedly lost control. The injured were admitted to Sathyamangalam Government Hospital and later shifted to Coimbatore Medical Centre Hospital.