Nine Dead, 15 Critical in Gas Tanker Crash on Jaipur-Ajmer Highway

At least nine people lost their lives, and 15 others were critically injured following a deadly gas tanker crash on the Jaipur-Ajmer Highway on Friday morning. The incident triggered a massive fire that spread rapidly across a 300-meter stretch of the highway, causing widespread destruction and chaos.

The crash occurred when the gas tanker collided with multiple vehicles, resulting in an explosion that intensified the blaze. CCTV footage from the scene revealed flames engulfing nearby properties, and thick black smoke could be seen rising above the highway.

Emergency responders rushed to the location, where several vehicles were completely gutted by the fire.

Authorities reported that a total of 43 people were hospitalized, with 15 suffering severe burns covering over 50 per cent of their bodies. Traffic along the highway came to a standstill as the smoke choked the area, and vehicles queued up for kilometers. The scale of the destruction left many commuters trapped in the resulting gridlock.

The Rajasthan government has initiated a large-scale rescue operation to assist the victims. Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased and spoke with Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma about the ongoing rescue efforts.

The crash also prompted a response from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy.

In a message posted on social media, Modi offered condolences to the families of the deceased and wished for the recovery of the injured. He also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of the deceased, as well as Rs 50,000 for each of the injured individuals.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash.