Bus fire toll rises to 63 in India

Source: Agencies  |   2008-12-10  |     ONLINE EDITION

THE death toll after a speeding bus carrying Hindu pilgrims caught fire and crashed in northern India has risen to 63, police said today.

The dead from yesterday's accident include eight children, said Navneet Kumar, a senior police official.

The 52-seat private bus was crammed with more than 100 people when it caught fire, overturned and slid for several hundred meters down a highway.

"The bus was jam-packed," Kumar said. "Some of them were sitting on the roof of the bus as there was not an inch of space inside the bus."

As fire engulfed the vehicle, passengers found the exit blocked by luggage and flames.

The crash happened near the town of Firozabad, 200 kilometers southwest of Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh state.

The fire started after a snapped axle caused sparks, setting the fuel tank alight.

The bus was taking pilgrims home after a visit to a Hindu religious leader in Mathura.

Officials have said that each victim's family would receive compensation of 100,000 rupees (US$2,000).

Deadly road accidents are common in India, often caused by aging vehicles, overloading and reckless driving.