Tree Crashes on Moving Lorry – One Dead, Another Injured
Sullia: A huge jack tree fell on a moving lorry at Odabai between Paichar and Sullia on the Mani-Mysuru highway around Monday noon, killing the driver in the cabin on the spot and injuring another.
Muhammed from Pallattur in Kasaragod was driving the lorry and his younger brother Sawad was with him. As they were arriving at Odabai, the tree crashed on the lorry. Sundar, who was sitting under the same tree by the side of the road selling jackfruit, sensed the danger and moved away to save himself.
He made gestures at the lorry driver warning him but it was not noticed by him. Since Sundar also warned the driver of a KSRTC bus which was immediately behind, the latter managed to stop the bus in time. Otherwise, the passengers could have been in danger.
As the tree fell, it first landed on an overhead live power-line. As the cables got pulled, four electric poles crashed to the ground . Then the tree fell on the cabin of the lorry.
Muhammed is said to have died on the spot. His body was taken to the Sullia government hospital. Sawad’s condition was found critical, hence he was rushed to a hospital in Mangaluru.
The cabin was totally smashed, so a mechanical crane was used to remove them them from the cabin.
Traffic on the highway 88 was blocked for an hour. The Sullia police cleared the traffic after some time.