A major road tragedy unfolded on National Highway 48 in Karnataka on Thursday, killing nine people after a lorry crashed into a private sleeper bus and triggered a massive fire. The accident occurred near Gorlathu Cross in Hiriyur taluk of Chitradurga district.
The bus was travelling from Bengaluru to Shivamogga. The lorry was heading towards Bengaluru from Hiriyur. Police said the lorry crossed the central divider and hit the bus head-on.
Fire Breaks Out Within Seconds
The impact caused an immediate fire on the bus. Flames spread rapidly, trapping passengers inside the sleeper coach. Many had no time to escape.
Police confirmed that eight bus passengers died in the blaze. The lorry driver also lost his life. The bus was carrying 32 passengers at the time of the accident.
What Police Found So Far
Explaining the cause, Eastern Range Inspector General of Police Ravikanthe Gowda said:
“Our investigation so far indicates that the truck rammed directly into the diesel tank, causing it to leak and catch fire, which led to the deaths. We have confirmed that 8 people inside the bus were killed, along with the truck driver. Of the injured, 12 are in Hiriyur, 9 in Shira and 3 have been sent to hospital in Tumkur. One person from Shira, who sustained 15 to 20 percent burn injuries, has been shifted to Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru. The others are out of danger. There were 32 people on the bus.”
Injured Shifted to Hospitals
Several passengers suffered burn injuries. Emergency teams rushed them to nearby hospitals. Most victims remain stable. One person with serious burns is undergoing treatment in Bengaluru.
Doctors said timely rescue prevented a higher death toll.
Police also revealed that a school bus carrying children passed the spot moments after the sleeper bus caught fire. Fortunately, the children were safe and suffered no injuries.
Negligence Suspected, Probe On
Initial findings point to possible negligence by the lorry driver. Police are collecting DNA samples and passenger booking details to identify the victims.
Authorities continue to investigate the incident as traffic resumes slowly on the busy highway.