At least 13 people have died and dozens are injured after a massive chain collision involving multiple buses and cars sparked a fierce blaze on the Yamuna Expressway in Uttar Pradesh.
Thirteen people were burned to death and more than 35 others injured when thick fog caused a catastrophic vehicle pile-up on the Delhi-Agra Expressway early Tuesday morning (16 December). The crash happened around 04:30 local time near Mathura and involved at least seven buses and three cars. Many of them burst into flames on impact.
The accident took place near Milestone 127 in the Baldev police station area, on the lane heading from Agra to Noida. Police said visibility was basically zero because of thick winter fog, causing vehicles to slam into each other in quick succession. The force of the collisions triggered a massive fire that quickly engulfed several buses, trapping passengers inside.
Rescue teams, including 11 fire tenders, rushed to the scene to put out the flames. Initial reports put the death toll at four, but it climbed to 13 by the afternoon as emergency workers pulled more bodies from the charred wreckage. “The vehicles collided due to low visibility… Some vehicles also caught fire. All injured have been sent to the hospital,” said Mathura Senior Superintendent of Police Shlok Kumar.
“An accident took place and nearly 3-4 buses caught fire… I was sleeping when the accident occurred. The bus was fully occupied. All the seats were full,” said an eyewitness who survived the crash.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his condolences, calling the incident “extremely tragic and heart-rending.” He’s ordered district officials to make sure the injured get proper treatment and announced compensation of ₹200,000 (£1,860) for the families of those who died and ₹50,000 (£465) for those injured.
This tragedy comes just a day after a similar fog-related pile-up on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway killed four people, showing just how dangerous poor visibility is across North India during the winter months. The Yamuna Expressway, known for high-speed traffic, is especially prone to these kinds of accidents during fog season.
Authorities are working to identify the victims. Many were burned beyond recognition. Police have launched an investigation, and diversions are still in place as cranes work to clear the mangled wreckage from the highway.
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