Fourteen people died and 30 were injured in a multi-vehicle Fujairah road accident in the early hours of Thursday, 12 November, on Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street in Fujairah, one of the emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Fujairah Police said the crash involved 18 cars and five trucks. Police, ambulance and rescue crews, along with civil defence personnel, were sent to the scene immediately.
How the crash unfolded
Fujairah Police confirmed that the crash began when a truck driver lost control of the vehicle. The truck collided with another car, then veered off and struck a number of vehicles that had stopped because traffic on the street was moving slowly. The truck then caught fire, and the blaze spread to several other vehicles.
Responders put out the fire, treated the injured and took them to hospital. Police said the accident happened shortly before midnight, while the crash itself is placed in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Who was hurt and what comes next
Fifteen of the 30 injured have since left hospital, police confirmed. The deceased included people of Emirati nationality, and the identities of some others are still being established through DNA testing. The injured included people of Emirati, Omani, Indian, Brazilian, Pakistani, Jordanian and Egyptian nationality, so the crash touched several communities.
The Indian consulate in Dubai said on Thursday afternoon that it was 'deeply saddened' by the deaths of several people, including Indian nationals. It said it was working closely with local authorities to support the bereaved families. The Ministry of Interior expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the dead, wished a speedy recovery to the injured and urged the public to rely on official sources rather than spreading rumours or unverified information.
Police also urged drivers to obey traffic rules, keep to the speed limits and leave safe distances, especially near congested areas and slow-moving traffic. The Fujairah road accident comes weeks before new UAE traffic rules take effect on January 1. Those rules set a maximum of nine hours of driving in any 24-hour period and ban driving when exhaustion affects a motorist's ability to drive safely. The measures aim to reduce driver fatigue and could have significant implications for professional drivers, including those operating heavy goods vehicles.
Fujairah has also become a more important transport and logistics hub since the outbreak of the regional conflict. Shipping companies have sought alternatives to routes through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway at the entrance to the Gulf. Fujairah's port sits on the Gulf of Oman outside the strait, and it has become a key gateway for goods, which has increased road freight and placed greater demands on roads linking Fujairah with other emirates and neighbouring countries.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- Early Thursday, 12 November: A multi-vehicle crash on Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street involved 18 cars and five trucks. Police said it happened shortly before midnight.
- Thursday, 12 November: Fujairah Police, ambulance and civil defence crews put out the fire and took the injured to hospital.
- Thursday, 12 November, afternoon: The Indian consulate in Dubai issued a statement of condolence.
- Thursday, 12 November: The Ministry of Interior expressed condolences and urged the public to rely on official sources.
- January 1: New UAE traffic rules, including the nine-hour limit on driving within 24 hours, take effect.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Fujairah mein Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Street par ek truck driver ka control khatam hone ke baad multi-vehicle accident hua, jis mein 14 log halak aur 30 zakhmi hue. Truck ko aag lag gayi aur aag kai gaariyon tak phail gayi. Zakhmiyon mein Pakistani shehri bhi shamil hain, is liye official khabron par bharosa karein aur afwaahon se bachein. 1 January se UAE mein nayi traffic rules lagoo hongi, jin ke mutabiq kisi driver ko 24 ghanton mein nau ghante se zyada gaari chalane ki ijazat nahi hogi.
