Chennai: A nine-month pregnant woman and two of her relatives were killed when the ambulance in which they were going to a hospital rammed into a roadside tree following a tyre burst at Alathur village in Kallakurichi district Thursday.
Sources said the pregnant woman, Jayalakshmi (23), who was accompanied by her mother-in-law Selvi and sister-in-law Ambika, was being taken to Kallakurichi Government hospital from a Primary Health Centre when the tragedy occurred.
The ambulance driver lost control of the vehicle following a tyre burst and rammed into the tree killing Selvi and Ambika on the spot.
Jayalakshmi, who sustained serious injuries, died on the way to the hospital. Chief Minister M K Stalin condoled the deaths and announced a solatium of Rs five lakh to the family of Jayalakshmi and Rs three lakh each to the families of Selvi and Ambika.