Tragic Bus Fire Claims Lives in Karnataka: What Happened on Christmas Day?
Devastating Incident in Chitradurga
Chitradurga: A horrific accident occurred on Christmas Day, resulting in the tragic deaths of at least nine individuals and injuries to 21 others when a sleeper bus caught fire after colliding with a truck in Karnataka's Chitradurga district early Thursday morning.
The police reported that the collision happened around 2 a.m. at Gorlattu Cross on National Highway 48, where a truck veered across the divider and crashed into the bus after the driver lost control.
Initial investigations suggest that eight passengers aboard the bus are presumed dead.
The truck driver, identified as Kuldeep, also lost his life in the incident. Fortunately, several passengers managed to escape the flames.
IGP (East) B.R. Ravikanthe Gowda confirmed that the Sea Bird sleeper coach was struck by a container truck that crossed the divider and collided with significant force.
He noted, "We suspect the truck hit the bus's fuel tank directly, leading to a fuel leak that caused the bus to ignite and become fully engulfed in flames."
While some passengers escaped, those who were asleep—eight in total—were trapped inside. The truck driver also perished, bringing the death toll to nine, including eight bus passengers.
Among the injured, 11 were transported to a hospital in Hiriyur, nine to a facility in Sira, and three to a hospital in Tumakuru. One individual sustained severe burn injuries and was moved to Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru. All other injured parties are reportedly stable.
In total, 32 individuals, including the driver and assistant, were on the bus. Reports have emerged about the discovery of a charred body of a baby.
Authorities are working to recover the bodies from the bus. DNA experts from Bengaluru have arrived at the scene, and the local Scene of Crime Officers (SOCO) team is conducting investigations. Post-mortem examinations will be performed, DNA samples collected, and the bodies will be returned to their families as soon as possible.
The Sea Bird sleeper coach was en route from Bengaluru to Gokarna when the accident occurred.
The identities of the deceased are still being confirmed, and officials are gathering further information.
Police attribute the accident to the negligence of the truck driver, while the bus driver and assistant escaped without injuries. The truck driver was from Uttar Pradesh.
Traffic on the Bengaluru–Sira stretch of the highway was significantly affected for several hours due to the accident.
Authorities also reported that a school bus carrying children on an academic trip, which was following the affected bus, narrowly avoided the crash. Investigations are ongoing, and more updates are expected.