Dubai: The drivers of a bus and a truck at the centre of a horrific early morning crash on Emirates Road in Dubai have both been detained, a top official told Gulf News.
Technical reports will clarify the liability of the two Pakistani drivers involved in Saturday's highway horror.
Both the drivers have been placed under provisional detention for causing 13 deaths and 15 injuries, Salah Bu Farousha, Senior Chief Prosecutor and Head of Dubai Traffic Public Prosecution (TPP), told Gulf News on Saturday.
See a gallery of pictures from the scene here.
The scene on Emirates Road following the crash. Picture: Dubai Police
The 13 Bangladeshi and Indian workers died instantly after the bus carrying them to their worksite in Jebel Ali rammed into the rear of a stationary truck on Emirates Road.
Information from Dubai Police showed that the accident occurred at around 6.30am at Exit 50 in the Abu Dhabi direction of the highway, near Al Ruwaiyah flyover.
Another image of the mangled wreckage. Picture: Dubai Police
The report stated that after the bus hit the parked truck, it rushed forward for eight meters, flipped on its left side and skidded for another five meters.
The 30-seater minibus with Sharjah plate number was carrying 27 workers when it crashed into the truck with Fujairah plate.
“It was a very tragic and horrific accident. Twelve passengers, including the minibus’s 26-year-old Pakistani driver, were injured and rushed to Rashid Hospital. The bus and truck drivers have been placed under provisional detention pending further investigations,” Bu Farousha said.
Bu Farousha, who personally examined the accident site, said the truck driver claimed that his vehicle’s brakes had broken down and he was forced to pull over at the right shoulder and place a fire extinguisher behind his vehicle as a warning sign.
“To identify who was responsible for the accident, the drivers have been provisionally detained pending further interrogations. The truck driver will be questioned on Sunday while the bus driver will be questioned according to the development of his medical situation,” Bu Farousha said.
The truck involved in the crash. Picture: Dubai Traffic Public Prosecution
Prosecutors will hear witnesses’ statements and examine technical reports by Dubai Police’s traffic experts, he said.
“Definitely we will also be examining the truck driver’s claims about the brakes. We also have to examine whether he took required safety measures, because the way the truck was parked [on Emirates Road] was relatively dangerous,” he said, adding that the truck’s rear left tyre was spotted on the yellow line of the hard shoulder.
Dubai’s Attorney General Essam Eisa Al Humaidan was immediately informed about the accident. According to his directives, a swift and detailed investigation was launched shortly thereafter.
Another image from the scene. Picture: Dubai Traffic Public Prosecution
The injured were taken to Rashid and Al Baraha Hospitals for treatment.
A spokesperson from Dubai Health Authority told Gulf News that the Rashid Hospital Trauma Centre received 10 people with moderate to severe injuries. Four others were transferred to Al Baraha Hospital.
Major General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, Dubai Police Chief, and Brigadier Anas Al Matroushi, Director of the General Directorate of the Transport and Rescue, were among the top officials who rushed to the scene of the accident.
Bu Farousha also called on heavy-duty vehicles’ drivers to constantly abide to traffic laws and regulations to avoid liability.
With inputs from Janice Ponce De Leon, Staff Reporter
