Toll in Anand bus fire touches 30; ex gratia paid to two women

Ahmedabad, May 15 (UNI) The toll in the collision between a Gujarat State Road Transport run CNG bus and an LPG tanker in Anand district today rose to 30, with another person succumbing to injuries in the SSG Hospital at Vadadora today.

The tragedy occurred at around 1830 hrs yesterday, when the bus on its way to Rameshra in Baroda from Mehsana crashed into a LPG-filled tanker, after it collided with an large container truck carrying heavy aluminium angles.

The collision led to a giant fireball, in which all the three vehicles were gutted, blocking the NH8 completely which was opened for traffic this afternoon. The drivers of the tanker and the truck died on the spot.

Kheda district collector Sanjiv Kumar told UNI this evening that 30 deaths have been confirmed and five bodies have been identified, including three women and two men -- one of whom is the LPG tanker driver, said Mr Kumar, who has been given the charge of the district as Anand Collector R N Joshi is on leave.

Thirteen people have been injured in the accident, he said.

Mr Kumar said if need be, they would conduct DNA tests on the bodies to identify them, as they were charred beyond recognition.

As many as 21 of the 23 passengers aboard the bus were charred to death. The bus driver and the conductor Ashok Fogat Vasawa (45) and three others, who sustained serious injuries, were later shifted to SSG Hospital from Anand Municipal hospital. Vasawa sustained 90 per cent burns, while two others -- Ajit and Vikramuddin -- are being treated for 70 per cent burn injuries. All of them have been put on ventilator.

An ice-cream cart vendor was also seriously injured, when the LPG tanker turned turtle. He was being treated at the Anand hospital.

Four women and some unidentified persons working in a nearby field were also burnt to death. Three deceased have been identified as Manjula, Pushpa and Sunita, while the identity of two others is yet to be ascertained.

Late last night, Chief Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex gratia of Rs 1 lakh to next of kin.

Mr Kumar said the government has already released the ex gratia amount to two deceased women, while another woman, whose identity is not known, will also be paid.

UNI