Bihar: At least 27 dead as bus catches fire
At least 27 people were killed when a bus turned turtle on the NH-28 in Motihari (Bihar) this afternoon and caught fire, TOI reported. Officials said only four people could be rescued, but they were all injured too. According to witnesses, the bus, on its way from Muzaffarpur to New Delhi, met with the accident while trying to avoid hitting a two-wheeler.
The bus, belonging to Raj Travels, was carrying 32 passengers, reports said. When it reached Belwa village under Kotwa police station, it had to swerve to avoid a two-wheeler, locals said. But the driver lost control, the bus went off the road and turned turtle. "Before anyone could react, the bus burst into flames which engulfed it immediately," SHO Vijay Sinha said.
Immediate rescue was hampered by the flames, which prevented officials from approaching the bus. The work was further slowed down due to heavy rains later. The Bihar government has assured compensation of Rs. 4L to relatives of the victims. Meanwhile, senior officials rushed to the site and the hospital to tend to the injured.
