A mini truck driver was charred to death when his vehicle caught fire after colliding head-on with a coal-laden truck at Bada Kundesara under Jamankira police station in Sambalpur district.
The mishap occurred on Tuesday night. The deceased driver has been identified as Ramji of Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh.
The helper of the mini truck sustained severe injuries in the accident. He has been admitted to Sambalpur Hospital in critical condition.
As per reports, the coal-laden truck was going from Deogarh to Sambalpur while the mini truck carrying pan masala was coming from the opposite direction. Both the vehicles were going at great speed and collided head-on at Bada Kundesara.
The intensity of the accident was so much that both the vehicles caught fire in the process and the driver of the mini truck was burnt alive. The coal-laden truck was also almost reduced to ashes following the accident.
On being informed, police and fire Services personnel reached the spot and doused the fire.
The driver of the coal-laden truck is on the run after the mishap.
Jamankira Police has registered a case and launched an investigation into the matter.