Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala (SP)

Karkala, Mar 1: A truck carrying a load of tendu (bidi) leaves which were stacked high, turned into ashes after the load came into contact with high tension electric cables passing above.

The accident occurred early morning on Monday February 29 near Bajagoly. The ill-fated truck was carrying tendu leaves to a bidi branch located at Nallur in the taluk from Chhattisgarh. When the vehicle moved to a side of the road, the stock of leaves came in contact with power lines, and the leaves caught fire. Those who saw the fire alerted the driver. The driver parked the truck by the side and tried to douse fire with help from locals. As their efforts went in vain, fire brigade was called.

By the time the fire brigade arrived, bundles of burning tendu leaves had fallen around the truck, and the tyres of the truck had caught fire. The firemen initially concentrated on stopping diesel truck from catching fire and then managed to extinguish fire after an effort lasting two hours.

The driver, sensing that a petrol bunk was located near the spot where he intended to stop the truck, parked it farther away, thus averting a catastrophe from occurring. Total loss in this incident has been put at Rs 19 lac including stock of bidi leaves valued at four lac rupees.