- Rescue officials say the crash happened in Sargodha.
- Let’s say the driver lost control due to poor visibility.
- The truck had 23 passengers.
SARGODHA: The death toll from the roadside accident caused by heavy fog in Sargodha has risen to 14 as more victims succumbed to their injuries, rescue officials said on Saturday.
The accident occurred when thick fog reduced visibility on the road in the Kot Momin urban area, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle. The truck plunged into the Ghala Pur Bangla canal, which was dry at the time of the incident, the Rescue 1122 officials said.
Rescue teams said the truck was carrying 23 people. Seven of them were crushed under the vehicle and died on the spot.
Rescue workers quickly reached the spot and started rescue operations. The bodies of the victims and the injured were pulled out and moved to the nearby THQ Hospital, where seven more people died during treatment.
The identities of the deceased and the injured have not yet been released. The passengers were on their way to Faisalabad to attend a funeral.
The entire Punjab province is currently affected by thick fog that reduces visibility on the roads.
Officials said the poor visibility due to fog made driving extremely dangerous in the area during winter mornings and evenings. They urged motorists to slow down and take extra care in foggy conditions to avoid such accidents.
A similar incident caused by poor visibility amid thick fog took place in Dera Ismail Khan earlier this week when two people were killed and 14 others injured in a collision between a sugar-laden trailer and a van.
The accident took place near Basti Dawana, within the limits of Taunsa Sharif, on the Indus Highway on Tuesday.
According to reports, the trailer was loaded with sugar on its way from Rahim Yar Khan to Kohat, while the passenger coach was on its way from Rammak to Multan.
A tractor-trailer full of sugar cane was parked on the side of the road, and dense fog had greatly reduced visibility.
When the trailer tried to pass the tractor trailer, it collided with the van coming from the opposite direction due to the fog, resulting in the tragic accident.
