"An horrific accident involving 31 cars has blocked the Abu Dhabi to Dubai highway near Ghantoot.
Police have confirmed that there are fatalities and several injuries but have yet to say how many people were killed in the accident which happened on Tuesday morning.
Witnesses have said that three or four cars were on fire after the accident."
Apart from the brainless morons driving as they are in thick fog and causing the destruction, you know what makes it even worse?
Radio reports are saying that:
a) drivers are attempting to by-pass the jam by following emergency vehicles along the hard shoulder. They then get stuck and block other emergency vehicles trying to get through to help the victims.
b) drivers going in the opposite direction are stopping and abandoning their cars on the highway so that they can look at the carnage.
My cynicism about people's stupidity, lack of consideration for others, lack of basic humanity is once again confirmed.
People are dying and others can think of nothing but getting to the head of the queue.
I am outraged and disgusted. We need to protect the rest of society from these apologies for human beings. They should be jailed for a very long time at the very least.
Breaking story from Gulf News is here.
UPDATE
It's much worse than the original reports suggested. Here's a photo from Gulf Newswebsite:
Photo: Yasir Thottingal. Gulf News
And they say:
"At least six people have been killed after a series of horrific accidents on the Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway near Ghantoot on Tuesday morning.
Police have said around 200 cars were involved in the crash, which happened in heavy fog, with 25 cars catching fire.
Sources at Rashid Hospital in Dubai said that 40 people were admitted to their emergency department, but 20 were discharged after being given treatment. Around 10 people are seriously injured at Rashid Hospital."
As the first comment on this post points out, there are also claims of looting - unconfirmed and I sincerely hope beyond any depths to which human beings can sink.
13 comments:
It's even worse than that... Gulf News website is now reporting that apparently there has been LOOTING of some of the crashed vehicles... where are we living, somewhere in Africa or South America? People are dying in their cars, waiting for help, and passer-byers are stealing their wallets, phones, briefcases, etc. Well, it was due to happen sometime: a new contender to "out-do" the blog on your Horror-Crash from last year that involved a bus and ONLY 9 dead...
Concerning photographs, it doesn't help when GulfNews.com is requesting photos from anyone on the scene. Actually, if you look through the photos on GulfNews.com, you will notice one with an emergency personnel taking photos with his mobile phone!
yes i saw that. outrageous, hope he is prosecuted.
I agree. All the media seems to do it these days, begging readers/viewers to send in their disaster photos.
I expect the person who caused the accident is probably sitting at home, still burbling on his mobile phone, tinted death machine sitting in his driveway, oblivious to the carnage left behind.
What is it with hazard lights and fog here? Why does anyone think it's a good idea?
Re GN asking for reports from the scene: the BBC does that, and I guess all major news providers. You can't get reporters into situations like this, so I guess it's OK. But looting! For God's sake, how could anyone do that.
Good samaritan laws should be enforced in these types of situations. If people are in a bad situation, you don't make an audience.
Utmost sympathy for the officials who have to deal with the carnage.
Looters?. Should be shot on the spot.
Looters who loot houses should be hanged from the nearest tree, irrespective of age gender race or colour.
There simply is no excuse, reason or justification for looting. Caught, you get what you deserve, on the spot.
Caz.
What i dont understand is why GN decided to downplay casualties by reporting only 3 fatalities and 60 cars involved........
Also there are many people out there who are putting the accident down to "destiny" and "fate", and are saying speeding didnt cause it, "after all people speed 365 days, so why did so many die yesterday?"
GN is running conflicting figures but it may be just sloppy reporting. There were several accidents, so maybe the total was 200 vehicles but 'only' sixty in the big crash.
There are still claims of looting but it's from bystanders with no confirmation, so hopefully it's not true. It could simply be people who fled their vehicles going back when it was safe to collect their belongings.
anon, I agree, the cause is not being placed where it should be. I'm going to do another post on that when I can find the time.
The whole "fate" and "destiny" issue is very common in Middle East society (regardless of religion). There is a belief that God dictates everything that happens and no one has control over their destiny. Which is why you hear 'inshallah' when someone is making an appointment or planning something. Its quite common for Arabs to put their lives in God's hand and hope for the best.
Yes I know Jad, and not just in the Middle East. But it's actually just a cop-out to avoid taking any personal responsibility for anything.
My mother converted to Islam about 6 years ago. Whenever someone starts avoiding responsibility by telling her about "faith... destiny... it's God's will" she tells them: "Yes, it might be God's will but he also gave you a brain, so USE IT!"
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