A devastating collision on BR-373, in Imbituva, Paraná, killed 23 people in the early hours of August 19, 2026. The Federal Highway Police (PRF) classified the incident as the most serious recorded in the state since January 2021, highlighting the scale of the tragedy that shocked the region.
Details of the collision and vehicles involved
Tragedy on BR-373: collision between health minibus and trailer kills 23 in Paranáhttps://t.co/i5wMq1X4A1 #Accident #BR373 #Imbituva #Ipiranga pic.twitter.com/3F4laNQsTr— MixVale (@Mixvale)August 19, 2026
The accident, which happened around 3:30 am, involved a minibus and a trailer at kilometer 209 of the highway. Preliminary information from the PRF indicates that the truck had invaded the opposite lane, causing a head-on collision. The minibus belonged to the Health Department of the City of Imbituva and transported patients and their companions to hospitals located in Greater Curitiba. Most of the fatal victims were in the minibus, and the truck driver also succumbed to his injuries.
History of serious accidents in Paraná
The federal transit corporation recalled other tragic events to contextualize the seriousness of what happened in Imbituva:
- On December 29, 1993, an accident on BR-116 resulted in the deaths of 45 people. A bus traveling on the Fazenda Grande-Curitiba line collided head-on with a Fiat Uno and plunged down a seven-meter embankment, leaving dozens of people injured among more than a hundred passengers.
- In October of the same year, another 43 people lost their lives on BR-277, in Serra de São Luiz do Purunã, after a bus with residents of Tupã (SP) overturned because the driver fell asleep on the curve.
- In January 2021, 19 people died in a bus crash on BR-376, in Guaratuba, which was the most serious record in the state until the current tragedy on BR-373.
The local impact on Imbituva and the victims
Imbituva City Hall declared official mourning for the deaths and suspended public service in all municipal administration bodies. The local community is following the unfolding of the tragedy with dismay, especially given the fact that the minibus involved was transporting people in search of essential medical care. Five injured people were promptly rescued and taken to hospitals in the region, where they received the necessary care after the violent collision.
