Two-wheeler spare parts, worth several lakhs of rupees, have been gutted in a fire that broke out in a truck at Velakalnatham on Chennai-Bengaluru Highway in Tirupattur district on Thursday.
The police said that a few motorists noticed smoke coming out of the truck around 4.30 a.m. and alerted driver K. Ravi, 51, of Salem. He immediately stopped the vehicle and with the help of motorists who were passing by tried to douse the fire. But the fire soon engulfed the whole vehicle. The Natrampalli police and Fire and Rescue Services personnel rushed to the spot. The firemen used three tanks full of water and brought the fire under control after an hour.
Traffic was affected on the busy highway for an hour.
A case has been registered by the Natrampalli police. An initial inquiry revealed that the consignment was heading from Chennai to Bengaluru for a two-wheeler assembly unit. The police said an electrical short circuit in the vehicle’s wiring caused the fire.
Further investigation is on.
