China: Multi-vehicle collision leaves 16 dead, 66 injured
Beijing (China), February 5: The transportation authority in Hunan Province, Central China, held an emergency meeting on Sunday in response to a multi-vehicle collision on the Xuguang Expressway on Saturday that killed 16 people and injured 66.
During the meeting, the transport authority emphasised the importance of learning from the accident and strengthening traffic safety efforts in the province, according to the Chinese state-owned publication Global Times.
According to Global Times, the Hunan Province Department of Transportation discussed the need to strengthen coordination between meteorological, emergency, and transportation departments, improve forecasting of extreme weather, and provide emergency support, particularly to identify security risks that may cause mass casualties. According to a statement released by local authorities on Sunday, a multi-vehicle collision on a highway in Changsha, Hunan, on Saturday killed 16 people and injured 66 others, eight of whom were seriously injured.
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Several traffic accidents were reported on Saturday on the Xuguang Expressway, which connects cities in central and southern China, with some of the vehicles involved catching fire, according to local authorities, who added that a preliminary investigation revealed at least five accidents occurred within about ten minutes.
According to witness video, 49 vehicles were involved in the five accidents, including not only private cars but also large trucks, which caused massive fires at the scenes.
Working teams from the Ministry of Emergency Management and the National Emergency Medical Research Centre were dispatched to the scene immediately after the accident to assist in the treatment of the injured.
At the scene, there were 182 firefighters and 30 rescue vehicles.
Everyone who was hurt in the accident has been taken to the hospital for further treatment. Eight of those seriously injured are currently in stable condition.
Traffic on the road where the accident occurred has now resumed. According to the Global Times, local authorities are conducting investigations into the accident and rescue efforts.
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- ANI
