The Civil Police of Minas Gerais (PCMG) requested the arrest of the driver who was driving the trailer that was involved in an accident with a bus and a car on BR-116, in Teófilo Otoni, in Vale do Mucuri. The collision, which was followed by an explosion, left 39 dead and more than a dozen injured.
As PCMG sources reported to CNNand the vehicle was traveling with excess weight.
The driver’s name was not released. He fled the scene of the accident and is being sought by police. According to information, the trailer, a twin-train model, could not have been traveling in the area at the time of the accident.
Sources following the investigations also stated that the truck and tachograph were taken for forensic examination in Teófilo Otoni. .
According to data from the Federal Highway Police (PRF), this was
The accident
which caught fire and subsequently exploded, reported the PRF.
The bus, from Viação Emtram, came from São Paulo and was destined for Vitória da Conquista, in Bahia. The accident was reported at around 4am.
Initially, firefighters said the bus had lost control because of a burst tire. .
Shortly after the bus was hit, a Fiat Argo car crashed into the truck. The three members of the passenger vehicle were rescued alive.
According to the Legal Medical Institute (IML) of Teófilo Otoni, the total number of bodies recovered was 39. The majority of the bodies were charred, making identification difficult.
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Another 13 people came out alive and were taken to medical care in the region.
Fire Department teams cleaned the track to prevent further accidents, removing oil and debris. .
