At least 32 people were confirmed dead in a bus crash in southeastern Brazil on Saturday, with officials warning that the death toll could increase.
The accident, which occurred in Minas Gerais state, involved a bus traveling from Sao Paulo.
A spokeswoman from the local fire department told AFP that the death toll ranged from 32 to 35, but the exact number had yet to be determined due to the state of the bodies.
Initial reports from firefighters indicated that the bus blew a tire near the town of Lajinha, causing the driver to lose control and crash into a truck.
Another vehicle reportedly collided with the bus from behind, though its passengers survived.
However, later accounts from firefighters referred to witness statements suggesting that a granite block had collapsed onto the bus, likely triggering a landslide. This may have caused the bus to hit the truck and catch fire.
Thirteen survivors were rescued and received medical attention. According to the fire department’s statement earlier that day, after hours of effort, firefighters had extinguished the flames and retrieved 22 charred bodies from inside the bus. Authorities cautioned that the death toll could still rise.
In a video released on Saturday morning, Lieutenant Alonso Vieira Junior from the Minas Gerais fire department explained that a crane would be needed to clear the wreckage, adding, “there are still more victims to be removed.”
