Twenty-four passengers were charred to death and 14 injured, some seriously, after an Uttar Pradesh roadways bus caught fire after it collided with a truck on the Delhi-Lucknow National Highway in Bareilly district.
The accident occurred late on Sunday night when the bus was en route to Gonda from Delhi, a source said, adding that the bus was on the wrong side of the road.
The fire was caused by an explosion in the diesel tank of the bus following the collision. The fire spread so quickly that the passengers, many of whom were asleep, did not get time to escape.
Eyewitnesses also said that the rear door of the bus was dysfunctional. The bodies were charred beyond recognition.
The state government announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the seriously injured.
Published 05 June 2017, 19:03 IST