A woman lost her life and at least 18 others were injured on Saturday afternoon when a container trailer truck reportedly lost control and crashed into nearly 20 vehicles on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway, resulting in a massive pile-up near the Adoshi tunnel in Raigad district.

As per officials, the incident took place within the jurisdiction of the Khopoli police station in Khalapur taluka. The container truck, which was allegedly speeding, is thought to have experienced brake failure before colliding with another vehicle, initiating a chain-reaction crash. The impact was catastrophic, crushing numerous vehicles — including luxury cars such as BMWs and Mercedes — and leaving many individuals stranded.

“The driver lost control due to brake failure and struck multiple vehicles. Nineteen individuals were injured and transported to a private hospital in Navi Mumbai. Regrettably, one woman passed away from her injuries during treatment,” stated a police official.

The driver has been apprehended by the Khopoli police. A medical examination revealed that he was not under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident. A case has been filed, and further investigations are ongoing.

The accident caused severe traffic congestion on one of India’s busiest expressways, with vehicle movement halted near Datta Food Mall, shortly after descending from the Lonavala–Khandala ghat. The resulting traffic jam extended over five kilometers as emergency response teams hurried to the scene to assist the injured and clear debris.

Authorities rerouted traffic through alternative paths while police and local officials worked tirelessly to clear the area and restore normal traffic flow.