5th Used Book Fair, an Invitation to Donate Books
Death toll rises to 22 in Al Ain bus tragedy
Death toll rises to 22 in Al Ain bus tragedy
The National staff Feb 4, 2013 Updated two hours ago AL AIN //
A total of 22 people have been killed and about 24 injured in a road accident in the city this morning.
The crash happened on the Old Truck Road (E30), near Sih Sabra, Al Ain, just before 8am when a bus carrying 46 workers thought to be from a cleaning company collided with a large lorry carrying concrete.
The lorry overturned and landed on the bus at 7.53am when its brakes failed, according to Brig Gen Hussein Ahmed Al Harthi, head of the Traffic and Patrols Directorate at Abu Dhabi Police. He also said there wasn’t a safe distance between the two vehicles.
“Twenty-two people were dead at the scene and the bodies were taken to Al Ain Hospital. There were 24 others injured, and their injuries ranged from minor and moderate to serious,” he added.
The accident is thought to be the worst in the history of the UAE.
Police sources said the injured sustained moderate to serious injuries. A total of 11 of them were taken to Tawam Hospital and are currently in stable conditions in intensive care units or in surgery, a hospital employee said. The dead, all of whom were Asian, were taken to Al Ain Hospital.
Brig Gen Al Harthi along with other senior police officials reported to the site of the crash.
Five of the injured men were transferred to Al Noor Hospital, where three were treated for minor injuries, said a member of staff.
“We received five patients in our ER department, and the nature of the injuries varied,” he said.
“Two of them were minor and were treated and sent home. One had a foot injury and is still in the hospital but will most likely be sent home.
“The last two, their situation was more critical.”
All police units were immediately dispatched to the scene upon receiving the report to rescue victims that were trapped in the bus and to provide first aid to the injured.
Emergencies and Public Safety ambulance teams from the general directorate for central operations at Abu Dhabi Police, the medical services division at Al Ain Police and Seha transported injured victims to Tawam, Al Ain, Al Noor and specialised care hospitals.
One victim with a severe injury was airlifted to Tawam Hospital.
The director of the Traffic and Patrols Directorate at Abu Dhabi Police urged contracting and general transportation companies officials to ensure the safety of brakes and other parts of their vehicles before departure and to take buses and lorries off the road in times of fog and rain. He also urged motorists, in general, to avoid overloading their vehicles.
Brig Gen Al Harthi praised the swift response of all police units and expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased and wished the injured a quick recovery.
My comments as follows:
Extremely sad to read about this tragedy, probably the worst in the history of UAE in a single one on one collision. While we all pray for the departed souls, let the authorities come out with stricter rules on speeding. The speed of buses transporting labourers to and from work in the morning and afternoon hours are scary and at times dangerous for those who are cautious on the road. Refresher courses on road safety and vehicle condition to all heavy duty drivers every year or two as they renew their visas is an option to educate them about newer conditions and road realities. Companies handling heavy vehicles and drivers should also think about having a safety expert or seek training through authorized safety institutes approved by police to give continuous guidance to drivers to adhere to road safety guidelines all the time.
RameshMenon Abu Dhabi
To read it in original, please visit The National online.
For more pictures, please visit The National online
Life without wires
The preparation for travel or holidays these days start with the – must carry items due to innovation, passion and professional requirements. One for the professional phone, one for personal phone, and one or even two for the camera, one for the laptop. The list goes on and on. Changing times!
Several times I have wished for one common charger for all gadgets.
Cycling options plenty to select – but cost?
Models are plenty for cycling enthusiasts. But, too costly for quality cycles with options.
Safer roads – Letters to the Editor – Gulf News Dt 31 Jan 2013
Safer roads
I took a look at the newspaper recently and was horrified to see the photo of a totally burned car, resulting in the death of an Emirati – yet another victim of speeding on our roads. A search of news reports over the past two months showed me at least 12 other similar deaths due to speeding. What’s happening to our drivers?
There is clearly a crisis.
A closer look revealed the alarming fact that most of these vehicles are driven by educated men and women.
Does this show that there is a lack of willingness to acknowledge and respect safety initiatives in place?
If so, it has to be controlled by initiating stricter rules and regulations so that no life is lost due to dangerous driving.
I suggest the authorities bring in a fine system which is pro rata, based on the type and model of the vehicle and driver involved. In addition, all automobile dealers should be requested to give a 2-3 hour mandatory safety training to the new owner, with a certification issued after successful completion that he is well aware of the controls of the car he is going to own and fit and safe enough to drive it.
I wish to see zero tolerance on speeding on our roads and no fatalities in the future, as a result.
From Mr Ramesh Menon Abu Dhabi
To read it in original, please visit GULF NEWS online
The thoughts behind my letter were based on these news items published in the GULF NEWS:
ClicksandWrites 
You must be logged in to post a comment.