Kanpur: Two men were charred to death after a speeding CNG-powered car burst into flames following a collision with a road divider on the Kanpur-Etawah highway in Derapur in Kanpur Dehat district early Monday.Preliminary investigation suggested that overspeeding and the possibility of the driver dozing off at the wheel may have led to the crash, said an official, adding that the exact cause of the accident is under investigation.According to eyewitnesses, flames shot nearly 20 feet into the air, and the burning vehicle was visible from nearly 1.5 km away. The car continued to burn for about an hour.Police identified the deceased as Om Shukla (23) of Kanpur Nagar and driver Gurpreet (40). They said the fire was so intense that neither occupant got a chance to escape. After the blaze was brought under control, police found the bodies completely charred.On receiving information, teams from the Derapur police station and the fire department reached the spot and launched a firefighting operation. After nearly one-and-a-half hours of strenuous efforts, the fire was brought under control.Police said Om, a resident of Barra in Kanpur Nagar, ran a bike and car maintenance shop. He had travelled to Delhi on Sunday to buy automobile parts. He was accompanied by driver Gurpreet. After shopping in Delhi, the two were returning home when the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle.SHO Dhirendra Singh said, “The car has a Delhi registration. Police found a burnt Aadhaar card inside the vehicle, based on which the deceased were identified. Their family members have been informed. CCTV footage from the highway and nearby areas is being examined to ascertain the circumstances leading to the crash.”
