25 passengers, including three children charred to death as bus catches fire on Maharashtra Expressway

MUMBAI,JULY1: At least 25 people, including three children, were charred to death and eight others injured after the vehicle they were travelling in caught fire in the wee hours of Saturday, police said.

The private travel bus carrying 33 passengers was on its way from Nagpur to Pune when it rammed into a divider around 1.30 am near Sindkhedraja in Buldhana district, police said.

Buldhana SP Sunil Kadasne told PTI that as per preliminary information, a bus tyre burst and the vehicle hit a pole, collided with a divider and caught fire. ” The passengers were all sleeping at the time of the accident “, the official said adding that the driver survived the crash.

Rescue staff move remains of passengers after twenty five bus passengers were charred to death on the Samruddhi Expressway. (Photo | PTI)

Of the 33 passengers on the bus, 25 were charred to death, the official said. The remaining eight passengers have been rushed to Buldhana civic hospital and are safe, he added. Further investigations are underway.

Following the accident, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced a compensation of Rs 5lakh to the family of the deceased who died in the major mishap.

-PTI