10 killed in triple collision near Avanashi

By V. S. Palaniappan

COIMBATORE, AUG. 4. Ten persons, including three drivers, were killed and 26 injured in a collision involving a State Transport Corporation bus and two lorries on National Highway 47, between Thekkalur and Avanashi, about 40 km from here, in the wee hours today. The condition of a few of the injured is said to be critical.

The Salem-Coimbatore bus collided with one of the lorries while overtaking the other, and was again hit by the vehicle which it overtook. The 10 persons died instantly.

The passengers who had a providential escape told The Hindu at the accident spot that the speeding bus had hit a tanker lorry at Chengampalli, about 20 km away from Avanashi, just 20 minutes before this accident occurred. One of the headlights got damaged. However, the driver maintained the same speed.

Near Avanashi the bus swerved to extreme left to overtake a cargo-laden lorry and collided with an on-coming empty lorry. Consequently, the bus turned 90 degrees and got stuck in the middle of the road. And the cargo-laden lorry from Andhra Pradesh rammed the bus, killing those seated in the rear.

The drivers of the bus and the cargo-laden lorry died instantaneously, while the driver of the empty lorry died minutes later. The accident was reported around 12.40 a.m.

The police and Village Vigilance Committee volunteers, who were patrolling Avanashi town, rushed to the spot. The injured, including five women and a child, were taken to the Tirupur GH,the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital and a private hospital here.

4 die in Salem mishap

Our Salem Special Correspondent reports:

All the four occupants of a van were killed on the spot when their vehicle collided with a truck at Padaiveedu between Komarapalayam and Sankagiri, near here, today.

Police sources said Jose (54), his wife, Santha Jose (52), son, Shaji Jose (29), and daughter-in-law, Nice, were on their way to Bangalore from Kochi.

The truck crew sustained minor injuries. The bodies have been taken to the Komarapalayam Government Hospital for post-mortem.

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