NEW DELHI, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- At least seven people were killed and eight others injured Tuesday after a brick-laden truck carrying 15 people skidded off the road and fell into a gorge in India's eastern state of Odisha, officials said.
The truck met with accident near Luhajhar Ghat of Gumma block in Gajapati district, about 308 km southwest of Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha.
"Today in a tragic accident a brick-laden truck carrying 15 people overturned while negotiating a curve on road and drifted around 80 feet drown, killing seven people and injuring eight others" Dhrubaraj Pandey, additional district magistrate Gajapati told Xinhua over telephone. "The injured were immediately rushed to hospital in Parlakhemundi, where from four were referred to MKCG medical college hospital in Berhampur."
Pandey said the truck was carrying bricks to Paralakhemundi.
"We are investigating as to how so many people managed to travel in a brick-laden truck," he said.
Police have registered a case and ordered investigations to ascertain cause behind the accident.
Deadly road accidents are common in India often caused due to overloading, bad condition of roads and reckless driving.