Brazil Road Accident Kills 25

VOA Breaking News
Voice of America
March 5, 2011 at 2:40 pm

A truck has smashed into a bus in southern Brazil, killing at least 25 people.

Brazil's federal highway police said the truck overturned around a curve in the highway in Santa Catarina state before dawn on Saturday. The fallen truck slid into the oncoming lane, colliding head on with the bus.

The truck driver was killed, along with two dozen people on the bus. At least 17 people were injured and taken to local hospitals.

The truck's cargo of wooden boards scattered across the roadway, blocking traffic for several hours as authorities worked to clear it up.

Local officials have declared three days of mourning for victims of the accident, which comes as people across Brazil are gathering for festive Carnival celebrations leading up to Mardi Gras on Tuesday.