Head-on collision in Santa Cruz de Salinas left vehicles on fire and caused a total closure of the highway
A head-on collision between a bus and a truck killed 8 people and injured 6 others at km 234 of BR-251, in Santa Cruz de Salinas, in the north of Minas Gerais, at around 4:30 am this Sunday (May 24, 2026).
The bus left São Bernardo do Campo (SP) headed for Aracaju (SE). The truck was transporting automotive parts and scrap metal and was heading from Fortaleza (CE) towards Piracicaba (SP). According to the vehicles collided head-on, and the flames consumed both. THE reported that the victims’ bodies were charred and stuck to the hardware.
Firefighters said most of the victims appeared to be adults. The corporation is also investigating the possibility of a baby and a child aged 10 or 11 among the dead.
Among those injured, the 41-year-old bus driver suffered a broken leg. A 72-year-old man and a 61-year-old woman reported that they had to jump from the bus to escape the flames. Samu teams from Curral de Dentro, Taiobeiras and Pedra Azul participated in the rescue.
The BR-251 lane remained completely closed to deal with the incident and carry out the investigation. According to the teams at the scene, the congestion reached almost 20 km.
