Winter fog turns deadly again: 13 burnt alive in Yamuna expressway crash

Thirteen people were burnt to death and 35 others injured after a massive multi-vehicle pile-up on the Yamuna Expressway in Mathura early Tuesday, once again throwing the spotlight on the recurring danger of fog-related accidents on India’s highways.

The collision, involving seven buses and three smaller vehicles , occurred around 4.30 am under the jurisdiction of Baldev Police Station , when dense fog reduced visibility on the Agra-to-Noida stretch. Several vehicles caught fire following the crash, leaving passengers trapped inside, police said.

“All the vehicles collided due to low visibility caused by fog. Some buses caught fire. All the injured were rushed to hospitals,” said Mathura SSP Shlok Kumar . Visuals from the scene showed charred remains of buses, with cranes deployed to clear the wreckage and traffic diverted as the expressway remained blocked for hours.

Police confirmed that all 13 victims died due to burns . Two of the deceased were identified as Akhilendra Pratap Yadav (44) from Prayagraj and Rampal (75) from Maharajganj district. Of the injured, 15 were admitted to the district hospital, nine each to a community health centre and a private hospital in Baldev, and two were referred to SN Medical College, Agra. Officials said none of the injured were in critical condition.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath

expressed grief over the incident, calling it “extremely tragic and heartbreaking.” He announced ₹2 lakh compensation for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for each injured person , and directed officials to ensure proper medical care.

While the scale of the Mathura tragedy shocked commuters, the accident is not an isolated incident. Every winter, dense fog triggers deadly pile-ups on high-speed corridors such as the Yamuna Expressway, Eastern Peripheral Expressway and the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway.

Only a day earlier, fog-related accidents claimed three lives in Haryana, including two police personnel, in separate pile-ups in Sonipat and Nuh. Similar incidents are reported almost every year, often involving multiple vehicles, fires and mass casualties.

Despite years of repeated accidents and official advisories, a critical question remains: why have highways not been made significantly safer for foggy conditions.

Road safety experts point to the absence or poor implementation of fog detection systems, variable speed limits, real-time warning signboards, and strict enforcement during low-visibility conditions. High speeds, close vehicle spacing and delayed traffic control often turn minor collisions into catastrophic chain reactions.

While authorities issue advisories each winter, commuters and experts argue that systemic, on-ground measures including automated visibility alerts, mandatory speed reductions, and controlled traffic halts during extreme fog remain inadequate or inconsistently enforced.

As investigators examine the cause of Tuesday’s crash, families mourn lives lost in what many describe as a predictable tragedy. The Mathura pile-up has once again revived demands for urgent, enforceable fog-safety mechanisms on expressways before the next winter morning brings another deadly reminder of the cost of inaction.