Pirogov emergency hospital: Bus crash survivors stable but in severe emotional distress
The seven people who survived in the severe bus fire crash on Struma motorway on November 23 are in stable general condition. Their lives are not in danger, "Pirogov" emergency hospital said on November 24.
The necessary emergency surgical operations were performed yesterday, and two of the patients will be operated today.
One of them has deep burns on both arms. The other one, a girl, yesterday underwent an intervention on a broken right knee joint, today she will have a surgery on her left knee.
Another one of the surviving passengers had spinal injuries with fractures of several vertebrae.
We will consider discharging those who are in stable condition in the coming days, so they can get home, Pirogov said.
One of the patients is in severe mental shock, psychologists are working with all of them. Two have managed to see their relatives, Pirogov reported.
***
45 people, including 12 children, died after a bus crashed and caught fire on Struma motorway in western Bulgaria in the early hours on November 23.
The bus was registered in the Republic of North Macedonia and was carrying tourists, who were returning from a trip in Turkey to Skopje.
Seven people managed to break the windows of the bus and escape. They were taken to Pirogov emergency hospital in Sofia with injuries and burns..
Speaking at the accident site, Bulgarian caretaker Minister of Interior, Boyko Rashkov said the victims had been burned beyond recognition, describing it as a "terrifying scene".
The bus had been travelling as part of a convoy of four buses and had stopped off at a petrol station near Sofia shortly before the accident. The other buses, which were a few minutes ahead, returned to the Republic North Macedonia safely.
Investigative authorities said "human error by the driver or a technical malfunction are the two initial versions for the accident".
Tragedy on Struma motorway: A bus caught fire leaving 45 dead
