A road accident in India’s southern state of Karnataka claimed at least 10 lives after a passenger bus collided with a truck and burst into flames on Wednesday, officials said.
Authorities said the death toll could increase as rescue and recovery efforts were still ongoing.
The crash occurred near Gorlathu village in Chitradurga area when the bus, travelling from the state capital Bengaluru towards Shivamogga, was struck head-on by a truck, which had reportedly jumped the road divider.
Many of the passengers were travelling to coastal destinations such as Gokarna, with several believed to be returning home for the Christmas holidays.
The impact of the collision caused the bus to catch fire almost immediately, trapping several passengers inside.
Police said some of the victims were unable to escape and were burned alive while a few managed to jump out in the moments following the crash.
Senior police officer Ravikanthe Gowda said the bus was carrying 32 passengers and at least nine escaped without injuries.
The bus driver and his assistant survived, but the truck driver and cleaner both died, according to preliminary findings.
“We broke the glass and tried to escape. People were screaming at that time. Some tried to save others, but the fire was spreading rapidly, making rescue difficult,” said one of the survivors, identified by only his first name Aditya, was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times.
Investigators, citing early information, said the accident likely occurred after the truck veered across the road divider into oncoming traffic. Rescue teams worked for hours to douse the flames and clear the charred remains of the bus from the highway, causing traffic disruptions in the area, the PTI news agency reported.
A second bus, carrying at least 45 schoolchildren from T Dasarahalli to Dandeli, was travelling right behind the fated vehicle but narrowly avoided disaster.
“Fortunately, the driver steered the bus to the other side of the road and no one was injured,” Mr Gowda was quoted as saying by PTI.
Prime minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences. “Deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to a mishap in the Chitradurga district of Karnataka,” he said. “Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May those injured recover at the earliest.”
He announced a financial assistance of Rs 200,00 from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for families of each of the victims and Rs 50,000 for each of those injured.
Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah called the accident heartbreaking. “It is tragic that the journey of those heading home for Christmas has ended this way,” he said.
He added that a thorough investigation must be conducted to determine the exact cause of the crash while extending solidarity to the bereaved families.
