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At Least 39 Dead as Granite Block Crushes Bus in Brazil; Driver with Suspended License Flees

Dec 21, 2024, 07:38 PM

A tragic accident on the BR-116 highway near Teófilo Otoni in Minas Gerais state, southeastern Brazil, has resulted in the deaths of at least 39 people. Early on Saturday, a passenger bus operated by the company Emtram, traveling from São Paulo to Bahia, collided with a truck carrying a granite block and a car. The granite block fell onto the bus, causing it to catch fire and leading to the high number of fatalities. The bus, which had recently undergone maintenance and had new tires, was carrying 45 people, with only a few survivors. Authorities report that the driver of the truck, whose license was suspended, fled the scene and is being sought by police. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Governor Romeu Zema expressed their condolences and promised support to the victims' families. The accident is under investigation and is considered the deadliest on Brazil's federal highways since record-keeping began in 2007.