Ashwani Sharma, a 25-year-old fuel tanker driver of Indian origin, tragically lost his life in a road accident near Warragul, east of Melbourne.
A 25-year-old Indian-origin truck driver died after the fuel truck he was driving crashed and overturned on the Princes Highway near Warragul in the Gippsland region of Victoria state in Australia on Saturday.Ashwani Sharma died at the scene after the B-double tanker lost control near Darnom, East Warragul, shortly before 6.30am.According to Victoria Police, the truck was traveling east along the Princes Highway when it collided with the cable barriers. The force of the collision caused the driver’s cabin to separate from the two fuel trailers before it hit trees and overturned. Police believe Sharma was the only person in the car.Emergency services rushed to the scene, with Acting Sergeant Dave Harrison describing the incident as “complicated” and “horrific”, with wet weather making conditions difficult. The exact cause of the accident has not yet been determined and is still under investigation.The accident led to a massive fuel spill across the highway into the nearby bush, forcing authorities to close all eastbound lanes between Darnom and Yarragaon.
The incident also disrupted V/Line services, with replacement buses running between Warragul and Traralgon throughout most of the day.The country’s fire authority said that dangerous fuel fumes were detected at the scene, but confirmed that there was no ongoing danger to nearby residents or the environment.Sharma’s death has left Melbourne’s Indian community in mourning.In an emotional plea following the tragedy, his wife spoke of the sadness of losing her husband at such a young age.“He was only 25 years old. His sudden death left me and his family devastated emotionally and financially.”She remembered him as a “loving husband, a caring person and a hard-working man” and said the family was now facing significant emotional and financial distress following the unexpected loss.She appealed for support from the community to help manage the financial challenges caused by the tragedy, saying any help would mean “a lot” during this difficult time.
