At least 25 killed after bus catches fire in western India
New Delhi, July 1 (EFE).- At least 25 people died in western India on Saturday after the bus in which they were traveling crashed and caught fire, police said.
“The bus was traveling at a high speed when it hit the pole and then a wall on the highway. Due to its impact, the two (front) tyres came off and the diesel tank of the bus exploded, following which the bus caught fire,” said Baburao Mahamuni, deputy police superintendent of Buldhana district in the western state of Maharashtra where the accident occurred.
At least 25 of the 33 passengers on the bus died in the accident, which occurred around 2:30 am on the highway connecting the cities of Nagpur and Pune, the official added.
Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Eknath Shinde expressed his condolences to the victims’ families and announced a compensation of 5 lakh rupees ($6,090).
“Deeply saddened by the devastating bus mishap in Buldhana, Maharashtra. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who lost their lives. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is providing all possible assistance to the affected,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Twitter.
Road accidents are common in India due to the poor condition of the roads, the precarious condition of some vehicles and the lack of respect for traffic rules.
In May, at least 22 passengers were killed and 31 injured after a bus fell off a bridge into a dry riverbed in Madhya Pradesh.
In 2021, 153,972 people were killed in India and more than 384,448 injured in some 412,432 car accidents, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. EFE
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