Rescue efforts underway as several vehicle caught fire after a crash on the Yamuna Expressway connecting Delhi and Agra, near Mathura on Tuesday.
Credit: ANI
At least 13 died of burns and over 25 were injured when several vehicles caught fire following a crash on the Yamuna Expressway, connecting Delhi and Agra, in the early hours of Tuesday in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. The reason for the accident is said to be low visibility due to dense fog in the region.
According to reports, at least seven buses and three smaller vehicles collided with each other in the dense fog around 4.30 am.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Mathura, Shlok Kumar said, "An accident took place at the Yamuna Expressway milestone 127. The reason was low visibility... Seven buses and three cars collided as a result of which, a fire broke out in all the vehicles... Rescue operation is nearing completion, and so far, four people have died. 25 people have been admitted to the hospital, and none of them are in a serious condition".
Of the injured, fifteen were admitted to the district hospital, nine each to a community health centre and a private hospital in Baldev, and two to SN Medical College, Agra, PTI reported.
District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh said the Chief Minister had directed that the injured be given the best possible treatment and that an ex gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh each be given to the families of those who lost their lives, according to a news agency. "He has also instructed that vehicles be driven at a reduced speed in conditions of low visibility to avoid such incidents in the future," Singh said, quoting Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Visuals from the spot revealed charred remains of buses that caught fire.
Cranes were called in to remove them from the road.
According to a Mathura Police statement on X, the pile-up at Milestone 127 involved seven buses and three smaller vehicles.
"None of the injured are in critical condition," it said.
Yogi Adityanath, in a post on X in Hindi, expressed his condolences to the kin of the deceased.
"The loss of life in the road accident on the Yamuna Expressway in Mathura district is extremely tragic and heartbreaking. My deepest condolences are with the bereaved families," he said.
"I have instructed the district administration officials to ensure proper treatment for the injured. I pray to Lord Ram to grant peace to the departed souls and a speedy recovery to the injured," Adityanath said.
The injured have been taken to hospital.
(With agency inputs)