Massive Pile-Up on Mumbai-Pune Expressway: One Dead, 18 Injured After Speeding Truck Hits 20 Vehicles

A major accident on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway on Saturday afternoon left one woman dead and 18 others injured after a speeding container trailer truck reportedly lost control and rammed into 18–20 vehicles near the Adoshi tunnel in Raigad district’s Khalapur taluka, under the Khopoli police station limits.

According to a senior police official quoted by PTI, the truck suffered a brake failure, leading to a devastating chain-reaction crash involving multiple vehicles, including luxury cars like BMWs and Mercedes-Benz.

“The driver lost control after the brakes failed. The truck ploughed into at least 20 vehicles, causing serious injuries to 19 people. One woman died in the incident,” the official said.

The injured were rushed to a private hospital in Navi Mumbai for treatment. The truck driver has been taken into police custody, and initial medical tests confirmed he was not under the influence of alcohol at the time. A case has been registered, and an investigation is underway.

Widespread Disruption and Damage

The collision caused a massive pile-up near Datta Food Mall, just after the descent from the Lonavala-Khandala ghat section. The expressway, one of the busiest in the country, carries 1.5 to 2 lakh vehicles daily, with weekend traffic often pushing those numbers even higher.

The aftermath was severe:

• At least three vehicles were completely crushed

• Several others sustained major damage

• The accident triggered a 5-kilometre-long traffic jam, stranding commuters for hours

Emergency services, including police, fire brigades, and ambulances, were quickly dispatched to the scene. Authorities diverted traffic through alternate routes as teams worked to rescue victims, clear debris, and restore normal movement on the expressway.

Local officials remained on site through the evening, coordinating relief efforts and ensuring that stranded passengers received assistance.