Jaipur, Apr 30: At least five people were burnt alive in a devastating accident on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway in Rajasthan’s Alwar district, when their moving car suddenly caught fire, said officials on Thursday, adding that the driver managed to jump out of the burning car and is currently undergoing treatment.

The accident was reported on late Wednesday night.

According to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kailash Jindal, the incident took place around midnight (between Wednesday and Thursday) near Pillar Number 115/300 under the Maujpur police station limits. The car, which was travelling from Delhi to Kota, reportedly caught fire due to unknown reasons. Within moments, the flames engulfed the entire vehicle, leaving the occupants with no chance to escape.

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The victims included five passengers, three women, a young girl, and one man, all residents of Sheopur in Madhya Pradesh. Tragically, all were burnt alive in the incident, he said.

The driver, identified as Vinod Kumar Mehar, also from Sheopur, managed to save himself by jumping out of the moving vehicle. However, he suffered approximately 80 per cent burn injuries and remains in critical condition.

Locals alerted authorities, following which the NHAI patrolling team and an ambulance reached the scene.

A police team from Laxmangarh Police Station, led by SHO Nekiram, also arrived promptly and informed the fire department. Three fire tenders were deployed to control the blaze. Although the fire was eventually extinguished, the vehicle had already been reduced to a charred wreck.

The injured driver was initially taken to the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Pinan and later referred to Alwar due to his critical condition. He is currently receiving treatment at the district hospital.

Senior officials, including DSP Kailash Jindal and Superintendent of Police (SP) Sudhir Chaudhary, visited the site to assess the situation and issue necessary directives.

Police are continuing efforts to identify the victims and determine the exact cause of the fire.

(IANS)