Surat: A deadly chain-reaction crash on NH-53 near Bardoli in Surat district killed seven people and injured 35 on Tuesday afternoon after an MSRTC bus, after hitting a tanker, veered across the road and smashed into an oncoming coach, which overturned and caught fire.Police said around 60 passengers were travelling in the two Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) buses when the accident occurred near Uva village.According to preliminary findings, a Surat-Dhule bus first struck a tractor hauling a water tank. The impact sent it across to the opposite carriageway, where it collided head-on with an MSRTC bus travelling from Chalisgaon towards Surat.The second bus was flung off the road in the collision and overturned. It then caught fire, severely complicating rescue efforts as flames engulfed parts of the vehicle.Fire brigade and police teams rushed to the spot, while residents joined in to evacuate passengers and help fight the blaze.Officials said 35 injured persons were taken to a hospital in Bardoli. Four remain critical and under observation, while those with minor injuries are being discharged after treatment.“Identification of the deceased passengers is underway. We are getting help from MSRTC officials and other passengers. The injured persons who are stable are being discharged from hospital after treatment,” said Rajesh Gadhiya, superintendent of police, Surat.Authorities have begun a probe into the sequence of events that led to the crash. Traffic on the highway was disrupted for several hours as rescue and clearance operations continued at the site.
