MAPUSA: A major accident took place at Tar Bridge in Mapusa, wherein a driver lost control of his four-wheeler and veered off the bridge on Friday morning. Fortunately, the four-wheeler did not plunge into the river since it hit the culvert wall, but the driver sustained injuries to his legs.
Locals alleged that despite repeated calls from the locals present at the site, the police, fire department and the ambulance failed to respond in time. They responded only two or three hours after the accident.
The incident occurred early Friday morning around between 6 and 6.30 am. At the crack of dawn, thick fog covers the entire highway area which made driving difficult. To add to this, vehicles such as buses and trucks are parked on the bridge despite being a no-parking area. The driver stated that in an attempt to avoid collision with the parked vehicles, he lost control and veered off the bridge. The driver was identified as Kailas Kumawat, a Rajasthan native.
Fortunately, the four-wheeler did not plunge into the river; otherwise, the accident could have ended in a fatality. The driver’s leg was stuck due to the impact and as a result, he was unable to move or free himself.
Upon noticing the accident, the passersby tried contacting the emergency services but none of them responded. Even the police were unreachable. The driver who was stuck in the car was pulled out by the fire and emergency department and was later taken to Goa Medical College and Hospital for medical care.
Mapusa Station Fire Officer Ashok Parab denied that the fire services arrived late. He stated that they received the call at 6.47 am from Panjim Headquarters and they reached the spot by 6.53 am and the CCTV footage can be checked.
