Buldhana/New Delhi: At least 25 people, including three children, were on Saturday morning killed and eight others injured when the bus they were travelling in caught fire on an expressway in Maharashtra .
About 33 people were in the bus which was on its way to Pune, officials said, adding that the accident occurred at around 1.30 am on the Samruddhi-Mahamarg Expressway.
Police said the bus overturned after hitting a pole on the expressway and caught fire in Buldhana district. “The driver of the bus, who survived the incident, said that the bus hit the pole after a tyre burst,” they said.
The bus overturned on the side of the doors, blocking it, because of which nobody could get out, police said.
“25 people were burnt to death in the accident. The injured, including the bus driver, have been shifted to a hospital for treatment, said, Sunil Kadasane, Superintendent of Police, Buldhana.
He said a case has been registered and investigation is on. “The priority at this moment is to identify the bodies and hand them over to their family members,” said Mr Kadasane. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “deeply saddened” by the loss of lives.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has also expressed his anguish over the accident and announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each for families of those who died.
“While giving instructions to provide immediate help to the accident victims, the Chief Minister also directed to provide immediate medical treatment to the injured at government expense,” his office said.
