Herald

Margao, Jun 7: Tragedy struck a Mumbai-bound Goa bus late Sunday night when it hit a tree and minutes later burst into flames near Kankavali-Maharashtra leaving two dead and some injured.

The accident occurred at around 10.10 pm, within 10-15 minutes after the bus (GA 09 T 4040) — carrying about 40 passengers — continued its onward journey after a halt at Kankavali for dinner.

The names of the deceased were provided as Rolly Cardozo (Assolna) and Samson Fernandes (Chinchinim). Three of the injured are convalescing at GMC hospital, Bambolim for leg fracture, sources said.

Incidentally, the deceased Rolly was proceeding to Mumbai following a call received from his shipping company.

A passenger from Assolna, Anderson Dias (21), who escaped with a wound on his knee, told Herald that some of the passengers seated on the front and rear side of the bus sustained injuries adding some others came out of the ill-fated bus by breaking open the window panes.

As soon as the news of the tragic accident reached home, relatives of the injured and the deceased rushed to Kankavali late past midnight.