INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
BULDHANA: As many as 25 people, including 10 women, were killed and eight others suffered injuries when a Vidarbha Travels bus travelling
from Nagpur to Pune caught fire after an accident on the Samruddhi Mahamarg Expressway in Buldhana on Saturday.Maharashtra bus accident live
updatesThe incident happened around 1.30am on Samruddhi Mahamarg near Pimpalkhuta village in SindhKhed Raja taluka of Buldhana district
The driver of the bus, a cleaner, and six passengers managed to jump out of the bus, while the rest were trapped inside and got charred.The
ill-fated bus (MH 29 BE 1819) is said to have rammed into a crash barrier pole on the roadside to the right side before colliding once again
with the wall of the underbridge
"A total of 33 people were travelling on the bus
The driver of the bus also survived and said that the bus overturned after a tyre burst leading to flames in the bus
Later the diesel tank of the vehicle caught fire," said Buldhana SP Sunil Kadasane.The SP added that there were three children among those
"The exact reason for the accident has not yet been ascertained," said the SP.Yashwant Solanke, SP, highway security police , said the
passersby had alerted a traffic assistance booth located around 10km ahead
The booth, accompanied by a fire brigade team, arrived at the spot within 20 minutes
However, by that time, the damage had already been done, as the flames had spread rapidly and were beyond control."The police and fire
brigade teams had tried their best to save the trapped passengers from the flames
But, it was too devastating," said Solanke.Buldhana police deputy SP Baburao Mahamuni said the injured were shifted to Buldhana Civil
Hospital for treatment."Identification of the bodies is being done
We will hand over the bodies to the relatives after the DNA identification," said Buldhana district collector Dr HP Tummod.In the meantime,
Nagpur Disaster Management Cell (8860018817) had opened its assistance window for helping the kin of the deceased and coordinate with
Buldhana district administration
PM Modi announces 2 lakh ex-gratiaExpressing grief over the bus accident in Buldhana, PM Narendra Modi on Saturday announced an ex-gratia
for the kin of the deceased."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," said PM Modi in a tweet."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," he added
CM Shinde announces Rs 5 lakh ex-gratiaChief minister Eknath Shinde has expressed deep grief over the horrific accident in Buldhana district
Expressing condolences to the deceased and their families, the chief minister announced an aid of Rs 5 lakh each from the Chief Minister's
Relief Fund to the relatives of the deceased.The chief minister also ordered an inquiry into the incident."As soon as the information about
the accident came to light, the emergency medical service team deployed for the highway as well as the fire brigade reached the spot and
started the rescue operation
The injured passengers were rescued and admitted to the hospital," said Maharashtra chief minister's office in a tweet.Maharashtra deputy CM
Devendra Fadnavis said, "The state government will bear the cost of treatment of the injured
We are in touch with the district as well as the police administration and all kinds of help are being provided immediately."Union home
minister Amit Shah too expressed grief over the loss of lives in the accident
"The road accident in Maharashtra's Buldhana district is heartbreaking
In this hour of grief, my prayers are with the families of those who lost their lives in this horrific accident
Quick treatment is being provided to the injured by the administration
I pray to God for their speedy recovery," tweeted Shah.Watch25 passengers burnt to death after bus catches fire on Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway
| Samruddhi Mahamarg accident
