Thane tanker tragedy: death toll rises to 10

Thane: With three more people succumbing to injuries today, the death toll in the fuel tanker mishap in Dahanu in the district has gone up to 10.

Fourteen-year-old Anjali Bobha and Sunil Umbarsada, 30, who had been admitted to Thane Civil Hospital, succumbed to injuries this morning, police said, adding the third deceased was yet to be identified. Anjali had suffered 90 per cent burns in the incident, they said.

The mishap took place near Chaori check post on the Mumbai-Ahmedbad Highway at around 3 pm, officials in the district disaster control room said.

The tanker, said to be carrying petrol, had gone up in flames after overturning and exploding near Chaori check-post on Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway at around 3 PM on Saturday.

Seven people were charred to death on the spot, while thirteen others were injured.

A policeman, who saved the lives of many people in the incident, is undergoing treatment at a hospital.

Police constable Bhushan S Shanke, 33, attached to the Thane district rural police, who was at the site when the incident happened, sprung into action and saved the lives of many people around.

"However, he himself suffered burn injuries in the act and is now being treated at the National Burns Hospital at Airoli in Navi Mumbai," Inspector of the local crime branch (LCB) of Thane police, Kishore Khairnar, said.

Fire fighters and ambulances from nearby towns were also rushed to the spot.