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Surat: At least seven people were killed and dozens injured in a major road accident on the Gujarat-Maharashtra highway on Tuesday.

The horrific accident, which took place near Uva-Manekpor village in Bardoli taluka of Gujarat’s Surat district, involved two Maharashtra State Transport (ST) buses and a tractor.

According to local officials, one of the buses, travelling from Dhule to Surat via Navapur, hit a tractor moving from behind. The impact caused the bus to lose control, jump the divider and crash into another bus approaching from the opposite direction.

One of the buses carried about 26 passengers, while the other had about 33 to 35.

The collision caused one of the buses to overturn multiple times before bursting into flames. The bus then rolled down an embankment.

A number of passengers got trapped inside the vehicle after flames engulfed it, complicating rescue efforts.

Officials have confirmed seven deaths so far. The death toll could rise as some of the injured are reported to be in serious condition.

The injured passengers were rescued from the wreckage and transported to various hospitals for treatment.

Fire brigade personnel, police personnel and ambulance teams rushed to the spot for rescue and relief operation.

“On National Highway 56, along the stretch leading from Bardoli towards Vyara, a collision occurred between two passenger buses bearing Maharashtra registration plates. As a result, one of the buses caught fire, and passengers aboard the other bus sustained injuries. Seven people have lost their lives, and 38 people have been injured,” Prem Vir Singh, IG, Surat Rural, said.

The accident led to a lengthy traffic jam on the highway. It took several hours for rescue teams to clear the highway for resumption of vehicular movement.