Tragedy in Slovakia: Polish Coach Bursts into Flames After Collision with Truck

The tragic incident occurred on national road I/59, connecting Ružomberok with Banská Bystrica. For unexplained reasons, the Polish long-distance coach, carrying approximately 30 passengers (mostly Polish citizens), veered into the oncoming lane. There, it made violent contact with an oncoming Slovak truck transporting timber. The force of the impact was so powerful that the coach immediately burst into flames and was almost completely consumed by fire. Unfortunately, due to the fire and post-accident injuries, the Polish driver died and could not be rescued from the vehicle wreckage. Route I/59 through the Donovaly Pass is one of the key, yet most dangerous, transit routes in Slovakia, characterized by numerous sharp turns and heavy truck traffic, which often leads to traffic paralysis in winter.Slovak media and rescue services are drawing particular attention to the truck driver's behavior. „"He deserves an award because he saved people's lives. At the last moment, he swerved to the right, which avoided a direct head-on collision."” — Witness Thanks to his sudden maneuver, even though the truck ended up in a ditch, the force of the collision was minimized, allowing the coach passengers to exit the burning vehicle on their own. Most people sustained only minor injuries or were in shock, while two individuals in critical condition were transported to nearby hospitals. 30 persons — were on board the coachNumerous firefighting units, a prosecutor, and experts in traffic accident reconstruction worked at the scene for many hours. Route I/59 was completely blocked, forcing traffic to be diverted onto detours. Spokesperson for the MFA Maciej Wewiór confirmed that Polish consular services are monitoring the situation and remain in contact with the families of the victims and Slovak police. A preliminary breathalyzer test showed that the Slovak truck driver was sober.