A heart-wrenching incident took place in Maharashtra as a bus traveling on an expressway caught fire, killing around 26 people, including three children, and eight others were injured.26 killed as the bus caught fire The tragic incident occurred in the wee hours (around 1:30 am) on the Samruddhi-Mahamarg Expressway, according to the police officials. Approximately 33 passengers were traveling in the bus on its way to Pune. Maharashtra | Several feared dead after a bus burst into flames on Samruddhi Mahamarg expressway in Buldhana: Buldhana Police pic.twitter.com/Zs6Mt0tfsT— ANI (@ANI) July 1, 2023What happened on Samruddhi-Mahamarg ExpresswayThe onlookers informed about the incident to the police immediately. The rescue and fire brigade team doused the fire and rescued almost 8 passengers safely including the driver and conductor. Amid the ablaze, the deceased have not been recognized yet. Briefing about the incident, the police said that the bus overturn after hitting a pole on the expressway and causing the bus to catch fire. The passengers aboard the bus were sleeping at the time of the tragedy. “The driver of the bus, who survived the incident, said that the bus hit the pole after a tyre burst,” the officials said. Injured people were rushed to the Buldhana Civil Hospital Speaking to the media, the Superintendent of Police, Buldhana, Sunil Kadasane said, “26 people were burnt to death in the accident. The injured, including the bus driver, have been shifted to a hospital for treatment.”#WATCH | Maharashtra: Visuals from Buldhana Civil Hospital where injured patients have been admitted. 26 people died and 8 people sustained injuries after a bus carrying 33 passengers burst into flames on Samruddhi Mahamarg expressway in Buldhana. pic.twitter.com/AdYnNSHvil— ANI (@ANI) July 1, 2023He also said that a case has been registered and an investigation is on. “The priority at this moment is to identify the bodies and hand them over to their family members,” the SP added. CM Shinde announces ex-gratia Taking notes from the incident, Mahasrathra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has announced ex-gratia worth Rs 5 lakh for the deceased families and free-of-cost treatment to the injured people hospitalised at Buldhana Civil Hospital. Maharashtra bus accident: CM Shinde announces Rs 5 lakh ex gratia, free treatment for injuredRead @ANI Story | https://t.co/6Saql9vkB0#MaharashtraBusFire #CMShinde #maharashtranews pic.twitter.com/aUWqkOjUz6— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) July 1, 2023
