2 dead as bus plunges into 16-foot ravine in Quezon

A Philtranco bus fell into a ravine after it was hit from behind by a trailer truck on Tuesday evening. PHOTO BY PEEWEE C. BACUÑO

Two persons died and 14 others were injured when a passenger bus fell into a 16-foot ravine after figuring in an accident with a 10-wheeler truck and a trailer truck in Atimonan, Quezon on Tuesday night.

The fatalities of the crash at Maharlika Highway were identified as Philtranco bus driver JM Bron a passenger Lorenzo Lizano, 52.

Police said the accident happened along Maharlika Highway in Barangay Sta. Catalina at around 9:40 p.m.

A trailer truck (in photo), a Philtranco bus, and a 10-wheeler truck figured in an accident on Tuesday evening in Atimonan, Quezon. PHOTO BY PEEWEE C. BACUÑO

Local police said the trailer truck bumped the passenger bus' (plate number ABG 8689) rear. The bus driver lost control of the vehicle until it fell into the.

The trailer truck also rammed the 10-wheeler truck, which slammed into a tree along the highway.

A report on Unang Balita said the trailer truck's driver was in a bad condition and 13 more people, mostly passengers of the bus, were also hurt.

Personnel from the Atimonan Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office and Bureau of Fire Protection responded to the emergency, including rescue volunteers from nearby towns of Pagbilao and Lucena. The rescue operation took an hour.

Local authorities said the site is an accident-prone area.

Investigations are ongoing. —Peewee Bacuño/Rie Takumi/BAP/ALG, GMA News