23 people were charred to death beyond recognition and two persons received burn injuries when a Pollachi-bound private bus turned turtle and caught fire at Avalur near Kaveripakkam on the Chennai-Bangalore highway late Tuesday night.

 

The driver of the AC bus, which left Chennai around 9 pm, lost control when he tried to avoid hitting some stationary vehicles resulting in the accident. Police said the vehicle hit a culvert and overturned resulting in the burst of the AC equipment and the fire accident.

 

Police said that driver Nagarajan jumped from his cabin and escaped the fire accident. One more passenger also escaped the accident with minor injuries. “The vehicle was completely gutted and the bodies were beyond recognition,” said a senior police officer.

 

Chief Minister Jayalalitha announced in the assembly today a compensation of Rs.1 lakh each to the kin of the diseased and Rs.50, 000 each to those who received injuries in the accident. Jaya said she had deputed three ministers to the spot oversee the rescue operations.