Dubai: Seven people were killed and thirteen others were injured on Tuesday morning after a crash on Emirates Road involving a minibus and a truck, police said. The bus driver was also killed.
The injured passengers suffered moderate to severe injuries and were transferred to Rashid Hospital in a helicopter, Dubai Police said. The bodies of the dead passengers were extricated from the bus.
The police said the accident took place at 8am when the driver of the bus transporting labourers crashed into the rear of a truck parked in an undesignated area on Emirates Road in the Abu Dhabi direction, behind Al Maktoum International Airport.
Before this fatal crash, Colonel Saif Al Mazroui, director of the Traffic Department at Dubai Policem said the truck was involved in a minor accident with a pick-up where both vehicles decided to park on the third lane. This, he said, resulted in the second accident, when the bus transporting labourers rammed into the truck.
“The bus was carrying 20 people and the driver was among those who were instantly killed upon impact,” he said, blaming the truck driver who stopped in an undesignated area. The bus driver lost control and crashed into the truck, he explained.
“Lack of attention of the bus driver was also another reason behind the accident,” he said.
Teams from the search and rescue department of Dubai Police were dispatched to the site of the accident.
Lt Col Ahmad Atiq Burquibah, deputy director of Dubai Police’s Search and Rescue Department, said: “Rescue teams had to extricate all those injured in the crash and the bodies of the passengers killed, who were all stuck in the bus. The team used hydraulic tools and shears during the process.”
The 70-tonne truck was carrying heavy stones, police said.
Dubai Police described the accident as “painful” and called on all motorists to be extra cautious while on the road.
Experts from the traffic department were sent to further examine the accident and collect evidence to discover what led to the accident.
Following the accident Maj Gen Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, called on drivers to avoid being behind the wheel when they are exhausted and to park in a safe place after an accident, to avoid a second accident taking place.
“All drivers must take the necessary precautions while on the road and abide by traffic rules and speed limits. Bus drivers transporting many passengers, in particular, must pay good attention to the road and leave enough distance in order to be able to stop the vehicle at the right moment in case of an emergency.”
According to latest statistics by police released on Monday, there is an increase in the number of fatal accidents in Dubai, with 59 reported in the second quarter of this year compared with 42 in the corresponding period of 2015.
Emirates Road was listed as the second most dangerous road in Dubai witnessing fatal accidents. There were nine accidents involving deaths on Emirates Road in the second quarter of 2016 compared to none last year.
Maj Gen Al Mazeina has spoken about the importance of intensifying security measures on the road to reduce serious traffic violations such as failing to keep a safe distance, sudden swerving, road rage, stopping in the middle of the road, speeding, not maintaining lane discipline, jumping red lights and entering a road without checking if it’s clear.
