Jalore: An ethanol-laden tanker overturned and caught fire on the Jaisalmer–Jamnagar National Highway (NH-68) in Jalore on Wednesday afternoon, killing the driver and disrupting traffic, Bhaskar reported.
The accident occurred around 2 pm near the overbridge, where the tanker lost balance and overturned. Ethanol spilled on the road and caught fire, with flames spreading up to 200 metres along the highway, said police.
Police said the tanker was travelling from Barmer towards Gujarat when the incident took place. The driver, identified as Sukhram Meghwal (34), was trapped inside and died in the blaze, while his relative Narsiram Meghwal managed to jump out and survived. He was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Fire brigade teams from Sanchore rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control after nearly an hour. Authorities said traffic on one side of the highway was temporarily halted due to the incident.
Eyewitnesses said a loud sound, possibly from a tyre burst, was heard before the tanker lost control and overturned. The spill spread downhill from the overbridge, intensifying the fire.
Local officials, including the SDM and police teams, reached the spot and began an investigation into the cause of the accident.
