Balasore: The driver of a container truck was burnt alive as the vehicle caught fire on National Highway 60 near Laxmannath Toll Plaza under Jaleswar police limits in Odisha's Balasore district, today.

The ill-fated vehicle, which was travelling from West Bengal to Odisha, caught fire around 2:15 AM after hitting a concrete divider as the driver lost control over the wheels.

Unfortunately, he was trapped inside the mangled vehicle.

Upon receiving information, Fire Services personnel rushed to the spot and extinguished the fire after an hour-long effort. However, the flames had already engulfed the truck, and the driver could not be rescued.

The accident caused severe traffic jam on the highway as the charred remains of the truck blocked the road. Normalcy in the movement of vehicles was restored at around 5 AM after the burnt truck was removed with the help of crane.

Police suspect that the driver might have dozed off while driving the truck, leading to the accident.