Bus Crash in Central India Kills More Than 20
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Version 0 of 1. NEW DELHI — A crowded minibus skidded off a highway in central India and plunged down a gorge Monday afternoon, catching fire on the way, according to a district police official. More than 20 people were killed and at least 10 more were injured, some with severe burns. “The bodies are so badly burned that even to identify them as male and female is difficult,” said Dr. L.K. Tiwari, the chief medical officer of the Panna district in the state of Madhya Pradesh, where the accident took place. Uttam Sonkar, a driver for the fire department in the district, said that it took an hour for the firefighters to extinguish the flames. The fire was thought to have started when sparks created by the bus’s skid ignited leaking gasoline. It was not immediately clear on Monday why the driver lost control of the bus, which is owned by a private company. Road accidents are common in India, causing tens of thousands of deaths every year, and are often the result of poorly maintained roads and vehicles and inadequate road safety regulations. The state government ordered an inquiry into the accident on Monday. |