26 Charred To Death As Bus Catches Fire on Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway

At least 26 people, including three children, were killed and several others injured after a bus burst into flames on Samruddhi Mahamarg Expressway in Maharashtra's Buldhana district.

Of the 33 passengers in the bus, 26 were charred to death. The remaining seven passengers have been rushed to nearby hospital and are safe.

The accident happened around 2 am on Saturday when it was going from Yavatmal to Pune. As per preliminary information, a bus tyre burst and the vehicle hit a pole, collided with a divider and caught fire.

"A total of 33 people were travelling on the bus out of which 26 people died and 7 people sustained injuries. The driver of the bus also survived and said that the bus overturned after a tyre burst leading to flames in the bus," said Buldhana SP Sunil Kadasane.

"The priority at this moment is to identify the bodies and hand them over to their family members," he added.

CM announces Rs 5 lakh ex gratia

Expressing condolences to the deceased and their families, the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has announced an aid of Rs 5 lakh each from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to the relatives of the deceased in this unfortunate incident.

He also directed the administration to extend all possible help to the family of the deceased and those injured in the accident on the Samruddhi Mahamarg Expressway.

PM Modi announces ex gratia of Rs. 2 lakh

"An ex gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the bus mishap in Buldhana. Rs. 50,000 would be given to the injured," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a tweet on Maharashtra bus accident.

Amit Shah condole deaths of 26 people in Buldhana accident

"The road accident in Maharashtra's Buldhana district is heartbreaking. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives in this horrific accident. Quick treatment is being provided to the injured by the administration. I pray to God for his speedy recovery," tweeted Amit Shah.