Maharashtra: Travels Bus Catches Fire On Samruddhi Expressway, Claims 26 Lives
Buldhana, 1st July 2023: In a devastating accident on the Samruddhi Expressway, a bus operated by Vidarbha Travels caught fire, resulting in the loss of 26 lives and leaving several others injured.
The incident occurred near Sindhkhedraja in Buldhana district during the early hours of Saturday, around 1:30 am.
The ill-fated bus, carrying 29 passengers and three staff members, was en route from Nagpur to Mumbai when the accident transpired. Regrettably, 26 individuals lost their lives on the spot due to severe burn injuries. However, six people, including the driver, managed to escape the blaze. The surviving driver revealed that a tire burst triggered the accident, and those who could flee had to break the window glass for their exit. The bus collided with the divider before overturning on the expressway.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the bus’s diesel tank might have exploded, causing an immediate ignition upon overturning, ultimately resulting in the passengers being engulfed in flames.
The local authorities face the daunting task of identifying the deceased individuals, as most of them suffered extensive burn injuries. “The bodies will be taken to the hospital for DNA testing to ascertain the identity of the deceased passengers,” stated the police spokesperson.
