Lorry catches fire near Tiruttani; driver’s quick action saves cargo worth lakhs

CHENNAI: A major accident was avoided near Tiruttani after a lorry driver noticed a fire had broken out in his vehicle’s engine area, prompting him to take quick action, according to a Daily Thanthi report.

What happened?

The driver was driving along the national highway near Tiruttani when suddenly smoke rose from the engine bay of the lorry, which eventually erupted into flames.

A strong wind caused the fire to spread to the rest of the vehicle and the cargo compartment at the back.

What did the driver do?

As soon as he realised the flames were spreading, he immediately stopped the vehicle on the side of the road.

The driver understood that if the fire spread to the other parts, the entire vehicle would be completely destroyed, and the danger would be greater if the fire spread to the rear end of the vehicle, where the cargo was loaded.

He acted bravely and detached the cabin and engine section from the cargo section at the rear.

By doing so, he saved cargo worth several lakhs of rupees and a large part of the vehicle from being completely destroyed by the fire.

Driver lauded by the public and officials

The fire department rushed to the scene after receiving information and extinguished the fire in the engine compartment, preventing it from spreading further.

The driver’s actions were praised by the public and officials for his ability to not panic and act tactfully in a critical moment, preventing a major accident without any loss of life.

Police investigation

The police have registered a case regarding the fire and launched a probe to investigate whether the accident was caused by the truck’s electrical system.