At least 38 people have lost their lives in a devastating traffic collision between a bus and a truck in the Minas Gerais state of Brazil, according to the Associated Press. The fire department officials who responded to the scene initially reported a death toll of 22, but this number was later updated to reflect the full extent of the tragedy.
Bus suffers a tyre blowout
The collision occurred early in the morning around 4 a.m. on Highway BR-116 near the city of Teófilo Otoni. Authorities stated that the bus, which had departed from São Paulo with 45 passengers aboard, suffered a tyre blowout. This caused the driver to lose control, resulting in a crash with a truck.
A second car also collided with the bus, although all three passengers in that vehicle survived. The collision led to a fiery explosion, with the bus bursting into flames. Photographs from the scene show the aftermath, including a truck on top of a crushed car, its large wheel embedded in the roof of the smaller vehicle. The road was left covered with twisted metal, shredded bus seats, and passenger blankets.
Brazil Accident: Rescue Efforts and Casualties
Rescue teams were seen working tirelessly at the crash site, with more victims still being removed from the wreckage. A firefighter noted that a crane was required to access parts of the bus, indicating that the situation remained dire. Thirteen additional people were taken to nearby hospitals for medical treatment.
Romeu Zema, the governor of Minas Gerais, expressed his sorrow and announced that a “full mobilisation” had been ordered to assist the victims and their families. In a statement on X, he said, “We are working to ensure that the families of the victims are welcomed so that they can face this tragedy in the most humane way possible on the eve of Christmas, a date so significant for everyone.” Zema also confirmed that the state’s military office aircraft was made available to aid rescue efforts.
The governor extended his condolences, stating, “My sincere condolences to the family and friends.”
Road Safety Challenges in Brazil
Brazil has long faced a significant road safety crisis. In 2021, the country had a road traffic death rate of 15.7 per 100,000 people, significantly higher than countries like Argentina, which reported 8.8 deaths per 100,000 people. In response, Brazil’s transport ministry has set a goal to reduce traffic fatalities by 50% by 2030, with an estimated 86,000 lives expected to be saved by that time.
This incident is not an isolated case. Earlier in September, a bus carrying the Coritiba Crocodiles, a professional American football team, overturned on its way to a match, killing three people.
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