Key Points:
- Seven buses and three cars collided near milestone 127 in Baldev police station area
- Accident occurred around 4 AM due to dense fog and low visibility
- At least four people killed, over 50 injured in the fiery crash
- Vehicles caught fire immediately after collision, creating intense blaze
- Rescue teams from police, fire brigade, NHAI, and SDRF deployed to scene
- Injured admitted to hospitals in Agra and Mathura for treatment
- CM Yogi Adityanath announced ₹2 lakh ex gratia for families of deceased
The horrific accident unfolded near milestone 127 under the Baldev police station limits when dense fog reduced visibility to near zero on the busy expressway. According to Mathura SP Suresh Chandra Rawat, seven buses, six of which were private sleeper buses and one state roadways bus, along with three cars, collided in a chain-reaction crash. The vehicles caught fire immediately after the collision, creating an inferno that could be heard from nearby villages.
Eyewitness Bhagwan Das, a resident of a nearby village, described the terrifying moment: “It felt like a gunshot, followed by loud explosions. The fog was not extremely dense, but vehicles kept colliding one after another”. Another eyewitness who was sleeping when the accident occurred reported hearing a sudden loud noise before fire spread rapidly through the buses, which were completely full with passengers occupying all seats.
Emergency Response and Casualties
Upon receiving information about the crash, District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police, and other senior officials rushed to the spot. A massive rescue operation was launched with teams from the police, fire brigade, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) working to extinguish the flames and transport the injured to hospitals.
The injured victims were distributed between hospitals in Agra and Mathura for treatment. While initial reports suggested two deaths, authorities later confirmed at least four fatalities. Mathura SSP Shlok Kumar stated that none of the injured were in serious condition, though the exact number of casualties was still being verified. Ambulance staff member Amit Kumar reported that several vehicles, particularly private buses, were completely engulfed in flames.
Government Action and Compensation
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took immediate notice of the incident and dispatched additional rescue officials to the scene. The Chief Minister announced an ex gratia payment of ₹2 lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the tragedy. He also directed authorities to ensure the best possible medical treatment for all injured victims.
The accident highlights ongoing safety concerns on the Yamuna Expressway, which has witnessed several deadly crashes in recent years, particularly during foggy winter mornings when visibility drops dramatically.
