A devastating collision between a bus and a truck in Brazil early Saturday resulted in the deaths of over 30 people, according to the Fire Department. The packed bus erupted in flames following the impact on a major highway near Teofilo Otoni in Minas Gerais.
Out of the 45 individuals on board, 38, including the driver, tragically lost their lives, as confirmed by the Fire Department after all victims were recovered. The remaining passengers sustained critical injuries and were transported to a nearby hospital.
The truck driver fled the scene, while three occupants of a car involved in a secondary collision with the truck were trapped but survived. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed condolences and pledged government support via social media, confirming the presence of Federal Highway Policy officials at the scene.
President Lula shared his grief and prayers for the victims' families on X (formerly Twitter), hoping for the recovery of the survivors. A forensic investigation is underway to determine the precise cause of the accident, as witness accounts have presented conflicting information.
Preliminary reports suggested a tire blowout on the bus, leading to the driver losing control and colliding with the oncoming truck at approximately 4 a.m. local time. However, other witnesses indicated that a granite block being transported by the truck came loose, fell onto the road, and triggered the collision. The Fire Department emphasized that only the forensic investigation can definitively confirm the cause.
The bus, en route from Sao Paulo to Bahia, met with this tragic fate on the BR-116 federal highway, a vital artery connecting Brazil's southeast to the northeast.
