A horrific road accident on National Highway 48 in Karnataka’s Chitradurga district claimed nine lives and left at least 21 others injured early Thursday after a private sleeper bus caught fire following a head-on collision with a lorry.
The crash occurred near Gorlathu Cross in Hiriyur taluk when a lorry travelling from Hiriyur towards Bengaluru crossed the central divider and rammed into a sleeper coach bus coming from the opposite direction. The bus was en route from Bengaluru to Shivamogga.
How the accident unfolded
According to police, the impact was severe and proved fatal within minutes. The collision ruptured the diesel tank of the bus, triggering a massive fire that engulfed the vehicle almost instantly. Several passengers were trapped inside with little time to escape.
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Eight passengers on the bus died on the spot, while the lorry driver also lost his life, taking the total death toll to nine.
“There were 32 people on board the bus. The truck appears to have hit the diesel tank directly, causing fuel leakage and a rapid fire,” said Eastern Range Inspector General of Police Ravikanthe Gowda.
Injured passengers rushed to hospitals
Emergency services and locals rushed to the spot and pulled out survivors amid the blaze. Twenty-one injured passengers were taken to hospitals in Hiriyur, Shira, and Tumakuru for treatment.
One passenger from Shira, who suffered 15–20 per cent burn injuries, has been shifted to Victoria Hospital for advanced care. Police said the remaining injured are out of danger.
Negligence suspected, probe underway
Preliminary findings point to negligence on the part of the lorry driver. Police teams are collecting DNA samples from the victims and verifying booking records to help identify those who died, as several bodies were badly charred.
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In a narrow escape, a school bus carrying children passed the same stretch shortly after the sleeper bus caught fire. No injuries were reported among the schoolchildren.
A grim reminder on highway safety
The incident has once again raised concerns over highway safety, divider breaches, and the vulnerability of sleeper buses during high-impact collisions. Authorities said a detailed investigation is underway to fix responsibility and prevent similar tragedies.
