Shocking visuals from the scene show one of the trucks engulfed in flames, while photos reveal the mangled remains of the four-wheeler crushed between the heavy vehicles.

Fire engines and rescue teams rushed to the spot and began firefighting and relief operations immediately after receiving the alert.

The accident caused a complete traffic standstill on the national highway, leading to a massive jam stretching several kilometres.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed condolences to the victims’ families and announced an ex gratia of ₹5 lakh for each bereaved family.

The Pune crash comes close on the heels of another major road accident in Tamil Nadu’s Ariyalur district, where a truck carrying over 100 LPG cylinders overturned earlier this week, triggering a massive fire and a chain of explosions.