At least 37 people were killed in a collision between a passenger bus and a truck in Brazil

An accident between a passenger bus and a truck early Saturday killed 37 people on a highway in the southeastern Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, officials said.

The Minas Gerais Fire Department, which responded to the scene, said 13 others were taken to hospitals near the city of Teofilo Otoni. The bus reportedly departed from São Paulo and was carrying 45 passengers.

Authorities said Saturday afternoon that all victims had been removed from the site, and an investigation would determine the cause of the accident. Eyewitnesses told rescue teams that the bus exploded in one of its tires, causing the driver to lose control and collide with a truck. Others said a block of granite hit the bus, the fire department added.

A car carrying three passengers also collided with the bus, but all three survived.

Governor Romeo Zema wrote on X that he had ordered the “full mobilization” of the Minas Gerais state government to assist the victims.

“We are working to ensure that the families of the victims are supported to confront this tragedy in the most humane way possible, especially as it comes just before Christmas,” Zima said.

In 2024, more than 10,000 people died in traffic accidents in Brazil, according to the Ministry of Transport.

In September, a bus carrying a soccer team overturned on the road, killing three people. The Curitiba Crocodiles, a team from the southern Brazilian city of Curitiba, were heading to a match in Rio de Janeiro, where they were scheduled to play in the country’s American football championship. The match was canceled after the fatal accident.