Tragic Bus Accident in Gujarat Claims Lives and Injures Many
Fatal Collision on Rajkot-Chotila Highway
Photo: IANS
Surendranagar, May 14: A devastating accident occurred on Thursday when a private bus traveling from Ahmedabad to Rajkot collided with a bitumen tanker, resulting in the tragic deaths of four passengers and injuries to approximately ten others on the Rajkot-Chotila highway near Sangani village in Gujarat.
The incident transpired between 1:30 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. in Surendranagar district, as reported by officials.
Initial investigations indicate that a tyre on the asphalt-laden tanker burst, leading to a loss of control over the vehicle.
Shortly thereafter, the luxury bus, which was following closely, crashed into the tanker with significant force.
This collision reportedly caused a short circuit in the bus, igniting a fire that spread rapidly. Many passengers were asleep and had minimal time to escape as flames engulfed the vehicle.
Officials confirmed that around 40 passengers were aboard the bus at the time of the accident. "Several individuals were rescued post-collision, but unfortunately, four passengers perished in the fire," they stated.
It was noted that the tanker was transporting asphalt, which contributed to the rapid spread of the fire following the crash.
Injured passengers were taken to Rajkot Civil Hospital, while the deceased were moved to Chotila Referral Hospital for autopsy.
Authorities reported that numerous passengers were saved from the burning bus.
Eyewitnesses and local residents played a crucial role in breaking the windows to help trapped passengers escape before the fire brigade arrived.
Ajay Mewada, an eyewitness, recounted how several individuals used rods and pipes to smash the bus windows to facilitate rescues.
He added that the leaking bitumen exacerbated the fire, complicating efforts to extinguish the flames.
Among the injured were Vidhi Patodiya, 18, from Junagadh district, Narendra Rathod, 50, from Limbdi, and Nagaraj Rana, 30, from Gir Somnath district.
Police reported that many injured passengers suffered burn injuries, while others sustained fractures from jumping out of the bus to escape the fire.
The accident led to significant traffic delays on the highway for several hours. Authorities have filed a case, and an investigation into the incident is ongoing.