38 people die in a crash between a passenger bus and a truck in Brazil – National

IN crash between a passenger bus and a truck early Saturday killed 38 people on a highway in Minas Gerais, a state in the southeast Brazilofficials said.

The Minas Gerais fire department, which responded to the scene, said 13 others were taken to hospitals near the city of Teofilo Otoni. The bus had apparently left São Paulo and had 45 passengers.

Authorities said Saturday afternoon that all victims had been removed from the scene and an investigation would determine the cause of the accident. Witnesses told rescue teams that the bus blew a tire, causing the driver to lose control and crash into a truck. Others said a granite block hit the bus, the fire department added.

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A car with three passengers also crashed into the bus, but the three survived.

Gov. Romeu Zema wrote on X that he ordered “full mobilization” of the Minas Gerais government to help the victims.

“We are working to ensure that families of the victims are supported to face this tragedy in the most humane way possible, especially as it comes just before Christmas,” Zema said.

President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said in a statement Saturday that federal officials were able to Minas Gerais. “I deeply regret it and send my prayers to the families of the more than 30 dead from the accident in Teófilo Otoni, Minas Gerais. I pray for the recovery of the survivors of this terrible tragedy,” said Lula.

In 2024, more than 10,000 people died in traffic accidents in Brazil, according to the Ministry of Transport.

In September, a bus with a soccer team ended up on a road and killed three people. The Coritiba Crocodiles, a team from the southern Brazilian city of Curitiba, were on their way to a game in Rio de Janeiro, where they had to play in the country’s American football championship. The match was canceled after the fatal accident.

& copy 2024 The Canadian Press