“We tried to get out of the bus quickly so that it would not catch fire. Some people were also breaking the windows so we could get out,” said Maya Gyunova, who was travelling to Nessebar with 30 other people.
In the collision, the woman was thrown against the front seat and struck her chest. Other passengers then fell on top of her. According to her, the bus collided with a truck.
Passengers escaped from the bus through the windows
After the collision, panic broke out on the bus. Some of the people tried to get out as quickly as possible because they feared that the vehicle might catch fire. Some broke the windows in order to leave the passenger compartment.
The ambulance arrived in less than an hour. “They came and attended to us,” Gyunova said. She added that it had not been immediately possible to put splints on some of the injured or provide other assistance at the scene.
Three of the seriously injured passengers were taken to hospital. They suffered fractures, other injuries and lacerations.
The crash occurred in dense fog
The serious accident occurred on the Trakia Motorway near the Zimnitsa interchange, around kilometre 290. There was dense fog in the area, and according to Interior Ministry Secretary General Lyubomir Nikolov, visibility suddenly dropped from around 70–80 metres to just 10 metres.
According to initial information cited by the Interior Ministry, a truck blocked the bus’s path. Other vehicles were subsequently involved in the crash as well. Two pre-trial proceedings have been opened over the accidents, while the rescue operation is continuing.