20 dead in road accidents in Russia; 14 as bus catches fire

MOSCOW:Russian officials say at least 14 people have been killed after a bus  caught fire following a nighttime collision with a truck that was being towed and six other people have been killed in separate road accidents.

            The bus crash took place early today in Russia’s central Tatarstan Republic. Footage from the scene showed the burnt- out shell of the bus. Russian investigators said a criminal case has been opened.

            In other deadly road accidents, four people died early Sunday after a car hit a tree near the city of Nizhny Novgorod, east of Moscow, and two teenagers were killed late Saturday when a truck plowed into a bus stop in the western Russian city of Bryansk.

            Russia has a poor road safety record with over 20,000 official traffic fatalities last year. (AGENCIES)