JN / Agencies
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The death toll following the fall of a bus from an overpass in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais has increased to 14, according to an update made this Friday afternoon by local firefighters.
As Lieutenant of the Minas Gerais Military Fire Brigade, Pedro Aihara, told the press, 11 people died at the scene, three lost their lives on the way to the hospital and 26 citizens were injured.
The survivors were taken to hospitals in the region, including two children in serious condition.
The lieutenant indicated that there is a possibility that victims are still trapped in the bus structure or have been projected to other areas.
The causes that caused the bus to fall, from a height of about 15 meters, are still under investigation.
The accident occurred around 13.30 (local time, 16.30 in Portugal), in the municipality of João Monlevade, in the state of Minas Gerais (southeast of the country), and led to the partial blockage of the road.
According to the Federal Highway Police (PRF), the injured bus is registered in the state of Alagoas, in the northeast of the country, but the origin and destination of the trip is not yet known.
The governor of Minas Gerais, Romeu Zema, reported that teams of firefighters, police, ambulances and helicopters were in place to assist the injured, more than two hours after the accident.
“Firemen, police, ambulance and helicopter teams are on site to assist the wounded, support families and investigate the facts. The entire apparatus of the Government of Minas Gerais was placed by me at the disposal of the victims,” wrote the governor on the social network Twitter.
Just over a week ago, another accident between a bus and a truck killed 42 people in Taguaí, in the interior of the state of São Paulo.
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