13 Killed, 35 Injured as Fog Triggers Fiery Pile-Up on Yamuna Expressway

Mathura, Dec 16: At least 13 people were killed and 35 others injured after a massive vehicle pile-up on the Yamuna Expressway early Tuesday led to several buses catching fire, police said.

The accident occurred around 4.30 am under the jurisdiction of Baldev Police Station when dense fog severely reduced visibility on the Agra-to-Noida stretch of the expressway. At least seven buses and three smaller vehicles collided, triggering a blaze that engulfed multiple vehicles.

“The vehicles collided due to low visibility. Some vehicles also caught fire. All the injured have been shifted to hospitals,” Mathura Senior Superintendent of Police Shlok Kumar said.

Baldev Police Station SHO Ranjana Sachan said all 13 victims died due to burn injuries. Two of the deceased were identified as Akhilendra Pratap Yadav (44), a resident of Prayagraj, and Rampal (75) from Maharajganj district.

Of the injured, 15 were admitted to the district hospital, nine each to a community health centre and a private hospital in Baldev, and two were referred to SN Medical College in Agra. None of the injured are in critical condition, police said.

Visuals from the scene showed charred remains of buses gutted in the fire. Cranes were deployed to clear the wreckage. According to Mathura Police, the pile-up occurred near milestone 127 and involved seven buses and three smaller vehicles.

Passengers were later transported to their destinations in government vehicles. Traffic diversions were put in place as the expressway remained blocked.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the incident, calling the loss of lives “extremely tragic and heartbreaking.” He directed officials to ensure proper medical treatment for the injured and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each to those injured.

The incident comes a day after fog-related accidents claimed three lives, including two police personnel, in separate multi-vehicle crashes in Haryana’s Sonipat and Nuh districts, highlighting the growing danger posed by poor visibility on highways during winter. (Agencies)