Three Dead, Two Injured in Horrific SUV-Trailer Crash on Zirakpur's Airport Road
A devastating road accident on the PR-7 Airport Road in Zirakpur resulted in three fatalities and left two individuals with critical injuries on Thursday afternoon. The tragedy unfolded when a speeding Toyota Fortuner SUV violently collided with a stationary trailer, creating a scene of utter destruction that left local residents in shock.
Timeline and Location of the Fatal Collision
According to preliminary reports, the catastrophic incident occurred at approximately 3:30 PM near the popular Kaka Dhaba area. The ill-fated Fortuner was traveling from Mc-D Chowk towards Chhat Light Point when disaster struck. Eyewitness accounts and initial investigations suggest the vehicle was moving at an alarming speed exceeding 150 kilometers per hour.
The sequence of events indicates the SUV first struck an auto-rickshaw before careening into the rear section of a trailer that was parked along the roadside. The force of impact was so tremendous that the Fortuner became completely lodged beneath the trailer, with the vehicle's structure suffering extensive damage and mangling beyond recognition.
Eyewitness Accounts and Immediate Aftermath
Local residents described hearing a deafening sound resembling a bomb blast at the moment of collision, which triggered widespread panic throughout the vicinity. "The sound of the collision was like a massive explosion. Within seconds, a crowd gathered at the spot," recounted Sahil, an eyewitness who witnessed the immediate aftermath of the crash.
The trailer driver, who had temporarily stopped for tea at the time of the accident, escaped unharmed but was left traumatized by the violent incident that unfolded mere meters from his vehicle.
Vehicle Occupants and Casualty Details
The Toyota Fortuner was returning from Delhi Airport to a village near Fatehgarh Sahib with six occupants onboard, including two women and two children. Tragically, three passengers lost their lives instantly at the crash site. The deceased have been identified as Amrik Singh (68), Balbir Singh (70), and Harjeet Singh (37).
Meanwhile, the two individuals traveling in the auto-rickshaw—who were reportedly delivering boxes of medicines at the time—sustained serious injuries in the collision. All injured persons and the bodies of the deceased were transported to Dera Bassi Government Hospital, where medical professionals formally declared three individuals brought dead.
Challenging Rescue Operations
Emergency response teams from the Road Safety Force and local police rushed to the scene immediately upon receiving distress calls. However, rescue operations proved exceptionally difficult due to the SUV's precarious position trapped beneath the trailer.
Rescuers required nearly thirty minutes to extricate the vehicle using a crane, followed by the painstaking process of cutting open doors and the dashboard to retrieve the trapped occupants. "The accident was extremely horrific. The Fortuner was stuck under the trailer. We had to break the windows to rescue the injured and retrieve the bodies," explained Sunil Kumar, a member of the Road Safety Force involved in the operation.
Traffic Management and Preliminary Investigation
Police authorities worked diligently to regulate traffic flow at the accident site, eventually restoring normal vehicular movement after several hours. Initial investigations point toward excessive speed as the primary contributing factor behind this tragic incident, though a comprehensive probe remains ongoing to establish all relevant circumstances.
Infrastructure Concerns and Safety Lapses
This fatal accident has once again highlighted significant safety deficiencies along the PR-7 Airport Road. The thoroughfare notably lacks essential speed-limit cameras and other enforcement mechanisms that could potentially prevent such high-speed collisions. Furthermore, the persistent practice of trucks and trailers parking along the roadside continues to pose serious risks to commuters, with authorities yet to implement stringent measures to address this hazardous situation.
The absence of adequate speed control infrastructure on this busy road corridor raises urgent questions about road safety protocols and enforcement in the region, particularly given the increasing frequency of accidents along this route.
