Truck carrying a JCB catches fire on national highway

A truck transporting a JCB (earth mover) caught fire while it was being repaired near Rani Channamma University, Belagavi (RCUB) at Bhutramanhatti village on the Pune-Bengaluru national highway on Monday. There were casualties in the incident.

The vehicle which was carrying the JCB stopped short due to an airlock. The driver summoned a mechanic to restart the vehicle.

The mechanic was diagnosing the fault below the cabin by pumping air. This triggered a sudden outbreak of fire and the cabin of the vehicle got fully charred.

While the driver suffered minor injuries, the mechanic escaped unhurt. The driver has been admitted to hospital for treatment and is yet to be identified.

Kakati police rushed to the spot and summoned a water cannon to douse the fire. Traffic on the busy road was affected for a while due to the incident. Kakati police have registered a case.