Choudwar: In a miraculous escape from the jaws of death, three persons including a woman were marked safe after the car they were traveling in caught fire on National Highway- 16 near Sardal here in Cuttack district Saturday.
According to eyewitnesses, the car hit a stray bull and caught fire.
The occupants of the ill fated car have been identified as Nasima Khatun, her son and a driver. Nasima is a resident of Soro area in Balasore district. They were on their way to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack when the mishap occurred.
According to Nasima, they were heading towards Cuttack when near Sardal a bull suddenly came in front of their car, leaving little time for the driver to control the vehicle. As a result, the vehicle dashed against the animal and it caught fire.
Seeing smoke and then flame coming out from the bonnet, the trio immediately got down from the car, narrated Nasima.
The incident disrupted traffic on the NH for some time. Later, a team of fire fighters reached the spot and doused the flame. But the vehicle had reduced to ashes by then.
According to Krupasindhu Behera, an official of Tangi-Choudwar Fire Station, the car was a patrol-run car and the collision may have created a spark, leading to the mishap.
PNN