Bhubaneswar: A moving truck suddenly burst into flames on the busy Palasuni Overbridge along National Highway-16 (NH-16) in the Odisha capital on Wednesday afternoon, triggering a severe traffic gridlock that stretched over 14 km and left hundreds of commuters stranded for several hours.
According to sources, the incident occurred around 3 pm as the truck, carrying raw materials for soap manufacturing from Paradip port to Gujarat, caught fire while entering the city limits. Eyewitnesses reported a loud explosion followed by rapid flames that quickly engulfed the vehicle, producing a thick plume of black smoke visible across the area. The blaze spread further when diesel leaked from the truck’s fuel tank and spilled onto the overbridge, intensifying the chaos and bringing traffic to a complete standstill on both directions of the highway.
Fire services with multiple vehicles rushing to the spot and successfully dousing the blaze, preventing it from spreading to nearby vehicles. However, the charred remains of the truck blocked the road, complicating clearance efforts. The Commissionerate Police deployed hydra cranes and mobilised additional equipment from the other side of the NH to secure and remove the wreckage, but initial attempts failed. An earthmover was eventually engaged to dismantle the vehicle.
The disruption lasted well into the evening, with traffic moving at a snail’s pace before halting entirely for over four hours. Commuters faced significant hardship, including one instance where an ambulance was unable to navigate through the jam.
Police diverted vehicles toward Pitapalli and Balikuda from the Cuttack side and issued traffic advisories via FM radio and news channels, urging people to avoid the Palasuni stretch.
The fire is suspected to have been triggered by a short-circuit, possibly exacerbated by the prevailing hot and humid weather conditions in the region. Fortunately, the truck driver and helper escaped unhurt.
