BAIRELLY: The toll in the Bareilly bus inferno rose to 25 after a passenger succumbed to burn injuries at a hospital in Lucknow this morning, even as some of the injured remained critical. Sri Krishna, a resident of Barabanki, suffered severe burns in the accident yesterday. He was referred by the district hospital to the state capital for treatment where he died today.
The condition of some of the seriously injured remained critical, officials said, fearing that the toll could rise further.
Twenty-four passengers were charred to death and 14 suffered burns when a state-run bus burst into flames after crashing into a lorry on the national highway here. The bodies were charred beyond recognition and are yet to be identified.
DNA samples have been sent to Lucknow. Bareilly Commissioner P V Jaganmohan said that the bodies would be preserved till the DNA report is received, which might take two to three days.
Only after availability of the DNA report, the bodies would be handed over to the respective families.
The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation bus, carrying 41 passengers from Delhi, was on its way to Gonda in eastern Uttar Pradesh when the accident took place near Bada bypass on NH-24, over 250 km from the national capital.
Three passengers had escaped with minor injuries. According to eyewitnesses, the diesel tank of the bus burst after the collision which led to the fire.