DUBAI — Fourteen people have been killed and dozens injured after a truck driver lost control and hit several vehicles in Fujairah, in the United Arab Emirates, the interior ministry has said.
The accident involved 23 vehicles, including five trucks, and happened on Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street at the entrance of Fujairah shortly before midnight, the ministry added in a statement.
The impact caused “the truck to catch fire and the blaze to spread to several other vehicles, resulting in a heavy loss of life”, it said.
Thirty people were injured and taken to hospital, Fujairah Police said, adding that DNA tests are being used to identify the bodies of the victims.
Police confirmed that the accident occurred after a truck driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to collide with another car and then veer off and strike a number of vehicles that were stopped because of slow-moving traffic on the street. The truck then caught fire and the blaze spread to several other vehicles.
Emergency services, including the police, paramedics and civil defense teams rushed to the scene to extinguish the fire, transfer the injured to hospitals and secure the site, where specialist teams remain.
Both the interior ministry and police expressed their deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathy to the families of the deceased, and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.
Half of the injured were discharged from hospital after receiving treatment, while the rest remain in medical care.
The nationalities of the injured included Emirati, Omani, Indian, Brazilian, Pakistani, Jordanian and Egyptian.
The Indian consulate in Dubai issued a statement on Thursday afternoon, saying it was “deeply saddened by the tragic road accident in Fujairah that claimed the lives of several people, including Indian nationals”.
“The consulate has reached out to the bereaved families and is closely working with local authorities to provide all possible assistance and support,” the consulate said in a post on X.
“Our heartfelt condolences and prayers are with the grieving families during this difficult time.”
The crash comes weeks before new UAE traffic regulations take effect on January 1, introducing a maximum driving limit of nine hours within any 24-hour period. The measures, aimed at reducing driver fatigue and improving road safety, also prohibit motorists from driving when exhaustion affects their ability to operate a vehicle safely.
Fujairah has also become an increasingly important transport and logistics hub since the outbreak of the regional conflict, with shipping companies seeking alternatives to routes through the Strait of Hormuz.
Its port, on the Gulf of Oman outside the strait, has become a vital gateway for goods entering and leaving the region, resulting in increased freight movements by road.
The shift has placed greater demands on the road network connecting Fujairah with other emirates and neighboring countries.
Source: Saudi Gazette