Mangaluru : A lorry regn no. KA-06 D8998 laden with Coal going up the mud road towards Garodi steel, in Alape Padil fell after its wheel slipped the edge of the high Bikarnakette –Padil highway and fell toppled . While the truck coming down after slipping had uprooted an concrete electrical pole and was caught in between the broken electrical pole side of the hillock, on top of which is Garodi steel, at Alape, Padil.

Watching the from a kitchen of a flat, opp: to Garodi steel, the lorry slipping and falling after a big sound and big spark of fire, after the lorry came in contact with the live electrical wire, we two ran out to find out if any one was hurt in the lorry and what was the fate of the driver, said an occupant of the flat.

We heard scream coming from the lorry, only to find the driver of the lorry trapped inside crying for help, and I had immediately called up the AEE Mescom at Padil, who immediately responded by saying that he would switch off the line. Having seen the cranes stationed at Padil Railway over bridge, an woman police and some one from public ventured out to look for the crane and soon two crane had arrived to help free the hurdles. By then Fire service men had arrived and brought the lorry driver on a stretcher and put him in an Ambulance that was waiting.

In a few minutes crowd gathered at the accident spot and since it being a highway, for a brief period there was traffic block, which was cleared, after police came on the scene.

Pic’s Eswarraj