A tragic accident occurred on the Yamuna Expressway as eight vehicles collided amid poor visibility and caught fire. The incident claimed 19 lives and left several injured. Authorities are investigating the exact cause, while some possible factors have been identified.
Recently, a tragic accident occurred on the Yamuna Expressway in Uttar Pradesh, resulting in the deaths of 19 people and leaving several others injured. The incident involved a collision between eight buses and three smaller vehicles, after which some vehicles caught fire amid dense fog and severely reduced visibility. Although the Yamuna Expressway is considered one of the roads most prone to accidents, the exact reasons behind the blasts are still under investigation by the transport and road cooperation team.
The accident occurred on the Yamuna Expressway, where a multi-vehicle pile-up took place and caught fire amid persistently poor visibility caused by dense fog. Thirteen people were killed last Tuesday, 18 on Wednesday, and the death toll has now risen to 19. Tragically, only three victims have been identified so far. Eleven DNA samples have been collected to assist in the identification process. Locals at the site reported hearing a loud blast following the collision. “Four deaths were initially confirmed based on bodies recovered at the site. However, the toll rose sharply after severely charred remains were found during a detailed search of the burnt buses,” the district magistrate said.
According to officials, while fog and reduced visibility are believed to have played a role, overspeeding is also being considered a major contributing factor. Preliminary information suggests that the incident initially involved a Maruti Suzuki Swift car and a bus, after which several other vehicles became part of the collision. The car reportedly came to a halt on the road, following which another vehicle crashed into it. A sleeper coach bus caught fire shortly after the crash.
Sources indicate that the Swift car was fitted with a CNG cylinder, which is being examined as a possible cause of the fire. Authorities are also investigating whether passenger luggage on the sleeper coach bus may have contained flammable materials that could have contributed to the blaze. The possibility of overheated engines triggering the fire has not been ruled out. Officials have emphasised that these remain speculative factors, and no final conclusion has been reached so far.
The Institute of Road Transport has created a team of 11 officials for examining the incident in depth continuing their investigation. An official statement confirming the exact cause of the fire is still awaited. Officials state the matter is dense and no implications can be made in a hurry.
In view of the prevailing conditions at Yamuna Expressway, the Regional Transport Office in Mathura has issued an advisory urging motorists to exercise “extreme caution” while driving during the fog.
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