41 killed in Brazil bus-truck crash
At least 41 persons were killed and 10 injured on Wednesday whenever a bus and a truck crashed in southeastern Brazil, police said.
The bus, which was carrying employees on the way to just work at a textile factory, collided with the truck just before 7am on a highway outside the town of Taguai, in Sao Paulo state, police said.
A good police source told AFP that whenever rescue workers attained the scene, "there have been bodies everywhere."
"It was unattainable to tell who had been in the pickup truck and who was simply in the bus," he explained.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the crash.
The death toll, primarily reported as 32, was likely to rise further, state police said in a statement.
"We realize there are extra victims in the wreckage of the cars, but we don't know just how many," it said.
Police said 37 people were killed at the scene. Four additional passed away of their accidents in hospital.
Another nine persons are on serious condition, they said.
Local officials built an appeal for blood donations.
"In a situation such as this, blood transfusions are crucial, and the worst part is that shares are down due to the coronavirus pandemic," status overall health secretary Jean Gorinchteyn told Television set network Globo News.
Images from the scene showed the vehicles smashed into pieces, particles strewn over the road. Leading end of the bus was completely torn off.
Dozens of rescue workers were still busy in the picture. Taguai is about 340 kilometers (210 kilometers) west of Sao Paulo, Brazil's biggest metropolis and economic capital.
"I prefer to send my condolences to the family members and good friends of the victims of the very terrible incident," said Sao Paulo Governor Joao Doria.
Local media reports reported there were 53 persons on the bus.
The truck driver reportedly survived.
The crash was among the worst in recent memory in Brazil, where 5,332 persons died in road accidents this past year. - AFP
