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At least 40 people were killed when a Kolkata-bound luxury bus from Orissa collided head-on against a loaded truck at Baliara national Highway in Howrah district in east India's West Bengal state Tuesday morning, Indian local TV reported.
The accident occurred between 4:30 and 5 a.m. when the Tata 407 truck collided with the bus apparently due to dense fog, a senior police officer said.
The bus immediately overturned and caught fire under the impact of the collision and most of the 55 passengers, who were trapped inside were charred to death, he said.
"It is difficult to say the exact number of casualties at this stage but at least 40-42 persons have died. We have rescued about 15 to 17 passengers, he said.
He said the fire has been completely doused and the highway would be cleared in another one to two hours.
(Xinhua News Agency January 28, 2003)
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