Rio de Janeiro, Feb 18 (IANS/EFE): At least eight people died and five others were injured when a bus caught fire Wednesday in Brazil's Sao Goncalo, a city in the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area, after hitting a utility pole, authorities said.
The accident occurred around 6 a.m. in the Santa Catarina section of Sao Goncalo, police and the fire department said.
Three of the people killed in the accident were in the street, while the other five victims were riding in the rear of the vehicle.
Investigators suspect that the driver lost control of the bus, hitting a utility pole and causing an electrical transformer to fall on the vehicle, engulfing the bus in flames, police said.
The victims all burned to death, fire department spokesperson said, adding that the injured were transported to Hospital Estadual Torres.