A high-speed police chase on Kings Road near Nausori on the evening of November 5, 1985, resulted in the deaths of two men when their truck skidded off the road and crashed. The next day, images of the wreck were featured on the front page of The Fiji Times.
Reports indicated that a third occupant of the seven-ton truck was critically injured and was fighting for his life at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva after being transported from the crash site. The driver, identified only as Tulsi, died instantly alongside an unidentified passenger seated by the door. The third passenger, 29-year-old Vishwa Nadan, was rescued by bystanders who used axes and knives to extricate him from the wreckage. He was then rushed to the Nausori Health Centre and subsequently to CWM Hospital.
Emergency services from Nausori and Suva responded promptly to the scene, working to free the bodies from the truck’s cab, which had crumpled significantly. The accident occurred around 6 p.m. on the Koronivia flats, an area notorious for accidents, referred to as the “death stretch.”
The truck, reportedly owned by Sai Transport, was seen driving erratically during rush hour while heading towards Nausori from Suva, nearly colliding with a taxi. The taxi driver called the police, reporting the truck’s dangerous speed and driving pattern. A police patrol car waited at Eight Miles as the taxi followed the truck. When the truck overtook the patrol car, the police attempted to pursue with sirens blazing, prompting the truck to accelerate.
The chase concluded as the truck veered off the road just beyond the Koronivia Research Station entrance. Witnesses recounted that the truck soared off the road, crashing through a barbed wire fence and landing approximately 20 meters away in the remnants of a breadfruit tree—a situation worsened by the slippery, drizzling conditions.
The force of the collision severed electricity cables, leading to a power outage in the Nausori area. Eyewitness Apisalome Caviyawa, whose home was nearby, expressed his shock when he witnessed the truck flying through the air. Neighbors approached the wreck and heard the engine running and smoke billowing out, as Mr. Nadan begged for help.
Concerns of a potential explosion fueled urgency among those on the scene. Unable to find the ignition key, they cut at the exposed wires to turn off the engine. Witness Abdul Muktar Khan also recalled hearing Nadan’s cries. Together with police officers and residents, they used axes, knives, and iron bars to free Mr. Nadan, who was conscious but bleeding. The bodies of the two deceased were ultimately removed by fire personnel.