Mathura: At least 13 people lost their lives and 25 others sustained injuries after several buses caught fire following a massive collision on the Delhi-Agra Expressway in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura district during the early hours of Tuesday, officials said.

The accident occurred around 4 am near Milestone 127 in the Baldev police station area when dense fog severely reduced visibility on the highway. According to initial reports, seven buses and three cars rammed into each other in quick succession, triggering a massive blaze that engulfed several vehicles. 

Eyewitnesses said panic gripped the area as flames spread rapidly following the collision. A local villager said nearly 20 ambulances were pressed into service to rush the injured to nearby hospitals. Many victims suffered severe burn injuries, while others sustained fractures and trauma due to the impact.

Senior district officials, including the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police, reached the spot soon after the incident.

Rescue and relief operations are still underway, with teams from the police, fire department, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) working to douse the fire and clear the wreckage.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognisance of the incident and expressed condolences to the families of those killed. According to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), the CM directed district officials and all concerned agencies to expedite rescue and relief operations. He also announced financial assistance of ₹2 lakh each to the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for those injured.

The Mathura crash comes amid a spate of fog-related accidents reported across North India over the past two days. On Monday, at least two people were killed, and 25 were injured in a major pile-up on Highway 152D, the Trans-Haryana Expressway, near Kharkara village in Rohtak district, after trucks, buses, and cars collided due to poor visibility.

Earlier on Tuesday, another fog-triggered accident was reported on Rewari Road in Jhajjar, where a bus rammed into a stationary truck between Kulana and Gurawada villages.

The bus driver was seriously injured and referred to PGI Jhajjar, while several passengers sustained minor injuries. The bus was carrying around 50 passengers and was travelling from Khatu Shyam in Rajasthan to Bahadurgarh in Haryana.

Authorities have repeatedly warned commuters to avoid high-speed travel during foggy conditions, especially during early morning hours. However, recurring accidents highlight the dangers posed by low visibility on highways during the winter season.