4 killed in fiery Yamuna Expressway pile-up as dense fog triggers chain collision

At least four people were killed and several others injured after a massive pile-up involving buses and cars on the Delhi–Agra Yamuna Expressway near Mathura in the early hours of December 16, with dense fog severely reducing visibility and triggering the collision.

The impact of the crash led to several vehicles catching fire, gutting multiple buses and leaving passengers trapped before emergency services rushed in. Eleven fire tenders were deployed to douse the blaze and carry out rescue operations, which officials said were nearing completion by morning.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognizance of the incident, expressing grief over the loss of lives. He announced an ex gratia compensation of ₹2 lakh each to the families of those killed and ₹50,000 for the injured. The Chief Minister also directed officials to ensure immediate, appropriate and free medical treatment for all those hurt in the accident.

Confirming the details, Mathura Senior Superintendent of Police Shlok Kumar said the accident occurred at Yamuna Expressway milestone 127 and was caused by extremely low visibility. “Seven buses and three cars collided, following which a fire broke out in all the vehicles. So far, four deaths have been confirmed, and 25 injured persons have been admitted to hospital,” he said.

The accident comes a day after large parts of Uttar Pradesh were enveloped in thick smog, with air quality deteriorating sharply and visibility dropping across several cities. In Agra, dense fog was so intense that the Taj Mahal was completely obscured from view. Residents described conditions as hazardous, with vehicles barely visible even at close range.

Authorities continue to assess the situation as investigations into the exact sequence of events remain underway.