In Tamilnadu, five persons were charred to death and 27 injured after a private bus and a fuel-laden truck collided and went up in flames near Erode in the wee hours today.

Police said, the Coimbatore-bound bus from Bangalore dashed against the truck carrying aviation fuel from behind at Chithode, about 15 km from Erode, resulting in an instantaneous fire which gutted both vehicles.

Those killed including two women and a child, were charred to death on the spot. The injured, including two who are stated to be critical, have been rushed to various hospitals in nearby Bhavani, Erode and Coimbatore.The driver of the bus was among the deceased.