Buldhana bus accident: Tyre burst caused mishap, say police

BULDHANA (Maharashtra): Maharashtra police authorities on Saturday said that tyre burst was the main cause behind the fatal bus accident in which 26 people, including three children, were killed and eight others were injured in Buldhana district. Officials said that the driver told the police that the accident took place after a tyre burst, causing the bus to overturn. Later the diesel tank of the bus caught fire.

"The driver of the bus who survived the accident said that the vehicle overturned after a tyre burst, and later caught fire killing 26 people on the spot and leaving 8 others injured," Buldhana SP Sunil Kadasane told ANI.

Also Read: ‘Could come out of burning vehicle alive by breaking its window’

"There are 3 children among those who died and the rest are adults. Those injured in the accident have been taken to Buldhana Civil Hospital and admitted there," he said. "We are further looking into the matter," he added.

Also Read: Maharashtra bus accident: CM Shinde announces Rs 5 lakh ex gratia

According to officials, the bus was travelling from Maharashtra's Yavatmal to Pune and met with an accident on the Samruddhi Mahamarg Expressway in Maharashtra's Buldhana at around 1:30 am on Saturday.

"The time when the accident occurred it was late night and people were sleeping. Many people could not come out and they died. Some people who could get out after the bus caught fire somehow survived and the rest died," they said.

"The most important thing in the investigation is that we identify the dead and hand over the bodies to their families," they added.