Coimbatore | Jagran News Desk: At least 19 people were killed and several others injured after a container came out of a truck and hit a passenger bus in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore on Thursday. The death is feared to rise further.
The accident took place near Avinashi town of Tirupur district. A Kerala State Road Transport Corporation's Volvo bus was coming to Ernakulam from Bengaluru.
The bus was going to Thiruvananthapuram from Bengaluru, while the lorry was coming from the opposite direction on the Coimbatore-Salem Highway when the mishap occurred at 4.30 am, police said. Of the 48 passengers in the bus, 19 died on the spot and remaining sustained injuries.
Deputy Tehsildar of Avinashi confirmed the news saying that those killed in the accident included 14 men and five women.
According to media reports, one of the tyres of the truck, which was coming from the opposite side, burst while it as in speed. The container got detached from the truck and collided with the bus.
Rescue operations are currently underway at the site of the accident. According to a NDTV report, the driver of the truck that was coming from Coimbatore is on a run.
CM Pinarayi Vijayan has instructed District Collector of Palakkad to provide emergency medical care to the victims of the accident. Procedures to identify the deceased are in progress.
"All possible relief measures will be taken in cooperation with the government of Tamil Nadu and the District Collector of Tirupur," Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's office said.
Kerala Transport Minister AK Saseendran said that the KSRTC Managing Director will conduct an inquiry and submit report in the incident.