Buldhana (Maharashtra): In a devastating incident on the Samruddhi-Mahamarg Expressway in Maharashtra, 26 people including three children were charred to death after a bus carrying 33 passengers caught fire early this morning. The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde, expressed his condolences for the victims and their families, while also announcing a solatium of Rs five lakhs for each of the deceased.
According to the police, the bus, belonging to Vidarbha Travels, overturned and caught fire after colliding with a pole on the expressway. The surviving driver of the bus stated that the accident occurred due to a burst tire, leading to the bus veering off its course and hitting the pole. Eyewitnesses reported that the impact of the collision caused the bus's axle to break, detaching it from the chassis.
However, police, medical service teams, and the fire brigade swiftly reached the spot to initiate the rescue operation. The injured passengers were promptly rescued and transported to nearby hospitals for medical attention.
"Several 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 Kadasane.
Police further said that the private bus was on its way from Nagpur to Pune. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the bodies of the deceased were charred beyond recognition and if the identity of the victims is not established, then DNA testing will be conducted.
Also Read: Maha: Four killed in accident on Samruddhi Expressway
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was "deeply saddened" by the loss of lives. In a Twitter message, the Prime Minister wrote “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”.
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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: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) July 1, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">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: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) July 1, 2023Deeply 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: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) July 1, 2023
"An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the bus mishap in Buldhana. Rs. 50,000 would be given to the injured," PM wrote.
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An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the bus mishap in Buldhana. Rs. 50,000 would be given to the injured: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) July 1, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the bus mishap in Buldhana. Rs. 50,000 would be given to the injured: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) July 1, 2023An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the bus mishap in Buldhana. Rs. 50,000 would be given to the injured: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) July 1, 2023
According to the police, some people could be rescued because of the prompt action taken by other motorists on the expressway. They helped the passengers escape from the bus and ensured their safety but before everyone could be rescued, the entire bus was engulfed in flames, leaving no chance for further rescue efforts until the arrival of fire tenders.
A statement from the Chief Minister's Office said the CM has expressed deep grief over "the horrific accident." Expressing condolences to the deceased and their families, the Chief Minister has announced an aid of Rs 5 lakh each from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to the relatives of the deceased, it said.
The Chief Minister, who is personally supervising the rescue operations, directly contacted the Collector and Superintendent of Police of Buldhana to stay updated on the situation. The CM also instructed the district administration to provide immediate medical treatment and to bear the expenses, if any, incurred during the treatment.
