A tragic bus fire in Karnataka claimed 12 lives after a sleeper bus collided with a container truck on National Highway 48. The accident occurred near Hiriyur in Chitradurga district during the early hours of the morning. The private bus was travelling from Bengaluru to Goa with 32 passengers onboard.
According to officials, the collision caused a diesel leak, which triggered a massive fire within minutes. Many passengers were asleep, which delayed their escape. Flames spread rapidly, trapping several people inside the bus. Twelve passengers died on the spot, while the container truck driver also lost his life. Twenty-one passengers sustained serious injuries and were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes as passengers tried to break windows to escape the burning bus. Fire and emergency teams reached the spot quickly and carried out rescue operations. Traffic on the highway remained disrupted for several hours.
Karnataka Chief Minister expressed grief over the incident and directed authorities to ensure proper medical care for the injured. Compensation was announced for the families of the deceased.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed deep sorrow. He announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for each deceased person’s family and ₹50,000 for the injured.
Police have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident.
