(MENAFN- IANS) Raipur, July 19 (IANS) Chhattisgarh's Kanker witnessed a grim Saturday as two separate accidents on National Highway claimed five lives and left several injured, underscoring the persistent dangers of speeding and poor road management in the region.

The first tragedy occurred around 1 a.m. near Aturgaon village, where a car carrying six young men crashed into the concrete edge of an old bridge adjacent to one under construction.

The collision triggered a fire in the vehicle due to sparking and a short circuit, in which four people were burnt to death, while two other occupants managed to escape, police said.

The deceased have been identified as Yuvraj Sori of Baratola, Hemant Shori from Singhanpur, and Suraj Uike and Deepak from Dunderapal village in Keshkal.

The survivors, Pritam Netam and Prithviraj Salam, sustained minor injuries and were admitted to the District Hospital in Kanker.

The police and fire brigade personnel extinguished the blaze.

A video of the burning car went viral on various media platforms.

The police officials further said that a forensic team was deployed, and efforts to recover and transport the bodies for post-mortem examination were underway.

In another major accident, a bus rammed into a divider near Kandel Chowk under the Charama police station area. The driver of a speeding passenger bus lost control of the vehicle and rammed into the divider of the Naini river bridge.

The impact severely damaged the front section of the bus and resulted in the immediate death of the bus helper, police officials said.

Locals and police formed rescue teams to evacuate passengers trapped inside, many of whom escaped without major injuries.

The body of the deceased was sent for post-mortem examination as officials launched an inquiry into the cause.

Preliminary reports suggest excessive speed and the driver's negligence were the causes behind the crash.

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