BULDHANA: As many as 25 people, including 10 women, were killed and eight others suffered injuries when a Vidarbha Travels bus travelling from Nagpur to Pune caught fire after an accident on the Samruddhi Mahamarg Expressway in Buldhana on Saturday.Maharashtra bus accident live updatesThe incident happened around 1.30am on Samruddhi Mahamarg near Pimpalkhuta village in SindhKhed Raja taluka of Buldhana district.

The driver of the bus, a cleaner, and six passengers managed to jump out of the bus, while the rest were trapped inside and got charred.The ill-fated bus (MH 29 BE 1819) is said to have rammed into a crash barrier pole on the roadside to the right side before colliding once again with the wall of the underbridge.

"A total of 33 people were travelling on the bus.

The driver of the bus also survived and said that the bus overturned after a tyre burst leading to flames in the bus.

Later the diesel tank of the vehicle caught fire," said Buldhana SP Sunil Kadasane.The SP added that there were three children among those who died.

"The exact reason for the accident has not yet been ascertained," said the SP.Yashwant Solanke, SP, highway security police , said the passersby had alerted a traffic assistance booth located around 10km ahead.

The booth, accompanied by a fire brigade team, arrived at the spot within 20 minutes.

However, by that time, the damage had already been done, as the flames had spread rapidly and were beyond control."The police and fire brigade teams had tried their best to save the trapped passengers from the flames.

But, it was too devastating," said Solanke.Buldhana police deputy SP Baburao Mahamuni said the injured were shifted to Buldhana Civil Hospital for treatment."Identification of the bodies is being done.

We will hand over the bodies to the relatives after the DNA identification," said Buldhana district collector Dr HP Tummod.In the meantime, Nagpur Disaster Management Cell (8860018817) had opened its assistance window for helping the kin of the deceased and coordinate with Buldhana district administration.

PM Modi announces 2 lakh ex-gratiaExpressing grief over the bus accident in Buldhana, PM Narendra Modi on Saturday announced an ex-gratia for the kin of the deceased."Deeply saddened by the devastating bus mishap in Buldhana, Maharashtra.

My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who lost their lives.

May the injured recover soon.

The local administration is providing all possible assistance to the affected," said PM Modi in a tweet."An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the bus mishap in Buldhana.

Rs 50,000 would be given to the injured," he added.

CM Shinde announces Rs 5 lakh ex-gratiaChief minister Eknath Shinde has expressed deep grief over the horrific accident in Buldhana district.

Expressing condolences to the deceased and their families, the chief minister announced an aid of Rs 5 lakh each from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to the relatives of the deceased.The chief minister also ordered an inquiry into the incident."As soon as the information about the accident came to light, the emergency medical service team deployed for the highway as well as the fire brigade reached the spot and started the rescue operation.

The injured passengers were rescued and admitted to the hospital," said Maharashtra chief minister's office in a tweet.Maharashtra deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis said, "The state government will bear the cost of treatment of the injured.

We are in touch with the district as well as the police administration and all kinds of help are being provided immediately."Union home minister Amit Shah too expressed grief over the loss of lives in the accident.

"The road accident in Maharashtra's Buldhana district is heartbreaking.

In this hour of grief, my prayers are with the families of those who lost their lives in this horrific accident.

Quick treatment is being provided to the injured by the administration.

I pray to God for their speedy recovery," tweeted Shah.Watch25 passengers burnt to death after bus catches fire on Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway | Samruddhi Mahamarg accident