La Union road crash: 3 dead, 20 hurt

At least 42 passengers were on board a bus traveling to Quezon City from Baguio City on Tuesday (Jan. 3) when it crashed along the highway in Pugo, La Union, killing three and leaving 20 injured. (Photo courtesy of Pugo municipal disaster risk and reduction management office)

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte—A passenger bus traveling from Baguio City to Quezon City crashed after it skidded on a highway in Pugo town in La Union province on Tuesday morning (Jan. 3), killing the bus conductor and two others, police said.

Police have yet to disclose the names of the three fatalities as their relatives were still to be informed about the accident.

The bus was traveling on the right portion of the Palispis-Aspiras highway traversing Sitio Castilla, Cares in the town at around 10:30 a.m., or almost two hours when the bus left a terminal in Baguio when it figured in the accident, the police added.

Initial investigation showed that one of the wheels of the bus blew up, which caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle before crashing into a tree beside the highway.

Aside from the three declared deaths, the incident also injured at least 20 passengers, according to the police.

The municipal disaster risk reduction and management office (MDRRMO) said the bus carried at least 42 passengers.

Those injured were taken to the Agoo district hospital and La Union Medical Center for treatment. Some were treated at the Pugo-covered court, authorities said.

Photographs from the scene showed the front portion of the bus was wrecked.

It took joint efforts from the rescuers of the MDRRMO, local police, and volunteers to immediately extricate the bodies of the passengers from inside the bus, authorities added. INQ

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