NEWSLINKS US EDITION SOUTH ASIA COLUMNISTS DIARY SPECIALS INTERVIEWS CAPITAL BUZZ REDIFF POLL DEAR REDIFF THE STATES ELECTIONS ARCHIVES SEARCH REDIFF
In all, 15 passengers had been admitted to the civil hospital in Ahmednagar while one was rushed to Pune, hospital sources said on Friday.
Thirty-three passengers, including 13 women and six children, were burnt to death and 26 injured when the state transport bus (MSRTC) overturned and caught fire at Khadki Phata.
The Maharashtra government has declared an ex-gratia of Rs 100,000 each to the kin of the deceased, District Collector Vimlendra Sharan said.
Nineteen of the deceased have been identified, sources said.
The bodies have been kept at the Government Medical Collage and Hospital at Aurangabad, official sources said adding the driver and conductor of the ill-fated bus have been admitted to the nearby Gangapur Rural Hospital, while some passengers had been treated at the Nevasa health centre.
Meanwhile, MSRTC chairman Sudhakar Paricharak said that a detailed inquiry would be conducted into the accident.
Survivors have a distressing story to narrate about the reaction of fellow travellers to their plight.
Alesh Garud, who was one among the 66 passengers said that he and others tried in vain to stop vehicles plying on the road.
The dazed passengers, some of them injured, then placed big stones in the middle of the road near the accident site.
Some vehicles, including a state roadways bus, were forcibly stopped to take the fire scarred passengers to the nearby Nevasa health centre.
The survivors' faced another hurdle as the telephone lines in Khadka Phata were reportedly 'out of order', according to Pravin Tirodkar, a social worker from neighbouring Wadala village.
This led to a delay in the arrival of police and the fire brigade, he said.
Garud went about the task of lending a helping hand maintaining his composure despite the loss of his three-year old son in the burning bus.
He was able to save five passengers, including his wife and daughter, but was unlucky regarding Vishal who was trampled by passengers trying to flee from the burning bus.
RELATED REPORT Over 30 dead as bus catches fire in Ahmednagar district
Tell us what you think of this report