A tragic accident on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway in Firozabad district, Uttar Pradesh, claimed two lives and left 14 others injured early Friday morning. The incident occurred around 2 am when a double-decker sleeper bus rammed into an overturned sand-laden truck, resulting in a fierce fire that engulfed the bus.
Sequence of Events
According to eyewitnesses, the sand-laden dumper truck first hit the divider and overturned on the expressway. Moments later, the bus, traveling from Kanpur to Gurgaon, crashed into the truck. The collision caused the bus to catch fire immediately, sparking panic among the 36 passengers on board.
Several passengers broke open windows and jumped out to save themselves as flames spread rapidly. Six fire tenders were dispatched to the scene, and it took approximately three hours to bring the blaze under control, officials said.
Casualties and Injuries
The deceased were identified as driver Shambhu Barhai, 48, and passenger Dayashree Sahu, 60, both residents of Kanpur. Their bodies have been sent for postmortem examination.
Fourteen others sustained injuries in the accident. Five injured passengers were admitted to Firozabad trauma centre, while others were referred to hospitals in Shikohabad and Saifai. Two people are still undergoing treatment, while the rest have been discharged, according to Matsena police station SHO Vimlesh Kumar Pandey.
Survivor Accounts
Mukesh, an injured passenger from Kanpur, recounted his harrowing experience. He was traveling to Vrindavan with his sister when the accident occurred. “We were asleep at the time of the crash. When I woke up, I saw blood coming from my leg. People were screaming and crying for help. I jumped out of the bus to save my life,” he said.
Police Response
Firozabad ASP Ravi Shankar Prasad confirmed the details of the accident, stating that the bus was en route from Kanpur to Gurgaon. The injured have been provided medical care, and families of the deceased have been informed.
