Nandyal (Andhra Pradesh), Jan 22 At least three people were killed and several others injured after a private bus lost control, collided head-on with a container truck and caught fire in Andhra Pradesh's Nandyal district in the early hours of Thursday, police said.
The accident occurred between 1 and 2 a.m. near Shirivellametta village in Shirivella mandal of the district.
Both the drivers of the vehicles and the cleaner of the container truck were charred to death beyond recognition, according to the officials.
The private bus was travelling from Nellore to Hyderabad with 36 passengers on board when one of its tyres reportedly burst.
Following the tyre burst, the driver lost control of the vehicle, crossed the road divider and rammed into a container lorry coming from the opposite direction.
The collision led to a massive fire, with flames engulfing both the bus and the truck within minutes.
Panic gripped the passengers as the fire spread rapidly inside the bus. Police said that both the main door and the emergency exit initially failed to open, leaving several passengers trapped inside for a brief period.
Superintendent of Police, Nandyal district, Suneel Sheoran said, "Tonight, roughly between 1:00 a.m. and 1:40 a.m., a private bus travelling from Nellore to Hyderabad met with a serious accident. The front right tyre of the private bus burst, causing the bus to cross the road divider and move onto the opposite side of the road, where it collided with an oncoming lorry."
He said that following the collision, both vehicles caught fire. "However, all passengers, except three, on the bus are safe. Every passenger was able to disembark safely," the SP said.
Local residents and police personnel rushed to the spot immediately after the accident. They broke open the bus doors and windows and assisted the passengers in escaping from the burning vehicle.
According to the information available so far, 36 passengers were travelling on the bus. Four of them sustained minor fracture injuries and were shifted to the Government General Hospital in Nandyal for medical treatment.
"Tragically, three people lost their lives in this accident. The bus driver, the lorry driver coming from the opposite direction and the lorry cleaner have died. Their bodies are being shifted to the hospital," SP Sheoran said.
Police said traffic at the accident site was later cleared and vehicular movement was restored smoothly. Both the damaged bus and the container lorry remain at the scene for further inspection.
The Superintendent of Police also said that RFSL and FSL teams from Kurnool were being sent to the accident spot.
"They will examine whether the fire was caused directly by the collision or due to any battery-related issues, and will confirm the exact cause," he said.
An investigation into the incident is underway.
Further details are awaited.
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