A large-scale road accident occurs in Brazil: at least 37 people are killed
Kyiv • UNN
A fatal accident involving a bus, a truck, and a car occurred on the BR-116 highway in Brazil. The fall of a granite block from the truck killed 37 people, and 13 other passengers were rescued.
In the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, on Saturday, December 21, an accident involving a bus, a truck and a car occurred, killing at least 37 people. This was reported by EFE with reference to the security forces, UNN reports.
Details
Initially, 22 people were reported dead, but the number of victims increased during the rescue operations. Many bodies were found burned and trapped in metal structures.
Federal highway police said the number of victims was "preliminary" because the fire that resulted from the accident made it difficult to identify the bodies.
The accident occurred on a section of the BR-116 highway near the municipality of Teofilu Otoni. According to preliminary information, the driver of the bus, which was carrying approximately 45 passengers, lost control after a "large granite block" fell from a passing truck and hit the bus,
After the impact, the bus caught fire and was completely destroyed by fire. A car that was traveling behind also collided with the truck. Three passengers in the car survived, but were seriously injured.
13 bus passengers were rescued. The injured were taken to local hospitals for medical care.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed deep regret over the tragedy, saying he was praying for the victims and their families. In his statement, he emphasized that the federal government is ready to provide all necessary assistance to the municipality of Teofilho Otoni and the government of Minas Gerais.
The governor of Minas Gerais, Romeu Zema, said he had ordered the mobilization of all regional authorities' resources to respond quickly to the incident. He noted that security forces have been working continuously since the accident.
