UAE | Traffic and Transport

Victims of the Abu Dhabi horror crash share their stories

Saeed Al Amiri had to smash the windscreen to escape from his car.

  • By Dina El Shammaa, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 18:21 March 13, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • Accident victim Mohammad Saif of UAE recovering at Al Mafraq hospital in Abu Dhabi.
  • Image Credit: Ravindranath/Gulf News
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Abu Dhabi :Saeed Al Amiri had to smash the windscreen to escape from his car.

"I could see cars burning 20 meters away. My vehicle was trapped between smashed cars and buses. I tried to open the doors to escape but both doors were stuck. I broke the windscreen glass with my injured leg," said the Emirati driver.

He was recounting the Tuesday's pileup at Al Ghantoot, a border town between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Three people died and 347 were injured in the accident and 250 cars were involved in the pileup and 30 cars destroyed.

Al Amiri, who has been commuting between Abu Dhabi and Dubai since the past month, left his house at 6:20 am. He recalls the accident happening right before Ghantoot Bridge.

"I could barely see the car in front because of the fog. I was driving at 40 kmp/h," said Al Amiri, who has been admitted to Al Mafraq Hospital.

He was driving a four-wheel drive and did not have his seat belt on. His car is totally ruined. The accident happened when his car touched the side of a bus. From then on he said other cars were ramming into his car every five seconds.

"Once I got out of through the windscreen I started to jump from one car bonnet to another. There were other people doing the same thing. We wanted to get away as soon as possible. Everyone was afraid of the fire nearby. It was getting worse and there were explosions," said Al Amiri.

He is suffering from fractures and bruises.

A 35 year old Indian, Vasavan Kumar, broke both of his legs in the accident. He was on his way to work in a bus with 10 others. Two of them were hospitalized and have been discharged.

"I remember our bus ramming into a four wheel drive. I tried to crawl out of the bus to save two women who I saw lying on the ground crying for help. They seemed to be badly injured. I tried to help them but I was helpless," said Kumar.

Emirati Mohammad Saif is currently recuperating at Al Mafraq Hospital from seven fractured ribs and a right knee ligament injury. He also has several stitches on his forehead.

"I was going to Dubai for work at 6:10 am. As I was driving I saw a number of flash lights. I was driving at on 70 kmp/h but that did not stop the accident from happening," he said.

Saif was driving in the middle lane when two cars hit him from the back. The impact pushed him forward and he smashed into a car in front.

"The moment the accident happened I got out and ran as fast as I could, even though my leg was injured. I was in shock and didn't feel any pain at the time, till I suddenly collapsed and fell. At that point I was unable to move till the ambulance arrived to assist me," he said.

A 41 year old Bangladeshi is in a critical condition and on a ventilator in the ICU. He was admitted to hospital by the Abu Dhabi Ambulance on Tuesday morning. The doctor said his injuries are due to not wearing a seat belt and lack of support during the pressure of the crash.

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