MUSCAT: A senior Royal Oman Police official has revealed new details about the circumstances surrounding the deadly road accident in Samail that killed six people and injured 18, saying a truck carrying heavy steel coils encountered sudden traffic congestion caused by an earlier crash.

Major Mohammed bin Salam Al Hashmi, Director of Security Relations and Media at the Royal Oman Police, said the accident occurred shortly before 8 pm on Friday as a tractor-trailer carrying steel coils was travelling on Sultan Thuwaini bin Said Road towards Muscat.

According to Al Hashmi, an earlier traffic accident had occurred near the location, causing vehicles to build up along the road.

The truck then encountered the congestion, resulting in the driver losing control and the vehicle’s load being dislodged.

Al Hashmi said the truck veered into the opposite carriageway, while the heavy steel coils it was transporting were thrown between the barriers separating the two directions of traffic.

The incident triggered a major multi-vehicle collision, with some vehicles severely crushed by the impact.

A total of 15 vehicles were damaged in the accident, according to the new details provided by the police official.

The crash killed six people and injured 18 others with varying degrees of severity. Royal Oman Police had earlier said eight of the injured were in critical condition.

Emergency and police teams responded to the scene as the accident caused significant congestion along Sultan Thuwaini bin Said Road in the Wadi Bani Rawaha area.

The ROP had initially issued a traffic alert following the collision, urging motorists approaching the area to exercise extreme caution because of the accident and resulting congestion.