At least 13 passengers were burned to death and several others were injured when a truck collided with a private passenger bus they were traveling in, leading to a massive fire in the two vehicles in Andhra Pradesh’s Markapuram district on Thursday morning, police said.
The incident occurred near Rayavaram village between 6:00 am and 6:30 am, according to preliminary information collected by the police.
A statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office said that the private bus belonging to Harikrishna Travels was traveling from Nirmal in Telangana to Nellore district when the accident occurred.
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A senior Markapuram police official, who rushed to the spot after receiving information, said preliminary investigations revealed that the accident occurred while the bus was negotiating a turn near the quarry stretch, when it was allegedly hit by a speeding dumper, adding that excessive speed of the dumper may have led to the accident, though a detailed investigation is underway.
He added: “The private bus and the dump truck caught fire immediately after the collision, which led to a number of passengers being trapped inside the bus. The intensity of the fire was so intense that the two vehicles were completely destroyed.”
Initial reports indicate that 13 passengers on the bus were burned alive, while a number of others were injured of varying severity. The toll is expected to rise further, as rescue teams from the police and fire departments attempt to extricate passengers trapped inside the bus.
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“The injured have been shifted to a private hospital in Markapuram, where they are currently undergoing treatment. The condition of some of them is said to be critical,” the police official said.
The bus was reportedly carrying about 40 passengers at the time of the accident. The police official said: “Those sitting in the back of the bus were unable to escape after the collision and the fire that followed, which led to a high death toll. It is believed that about 13 passengers sitting in the front part were able to escape with their lives.”
The exact identity of the deceased has not yet been officially confirmed. However, reports indicate that some of the victims may be from the Kanyegiri area.
Emergency teams continued their operations at the site to remove debris and assist survivors. The police are also working to ascertain the exact sequence of events and identify the deceased.
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Markapuram MLA Kandula Narayana Reddy visited the accident site and reviewed the situation.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed shock and grief over the tragic road accident near Rayavaram in Markapuram district, in which at least 10 passengers died.
Following the incident, Naidu spoke to senior officials and reviewed the situation. He requested details about the medical treatment provided to the wounded.
The district police authorities informed the Prime Minister that about 20 injured people were immediately transferred to different hospitals and are undergoing treatment.
Naidu also expressed concern over reports indicating that the death toll could rise further. He directed officials to ensure the best possible medical care for the injured and closely monitor rescue and relief operations.
More details are awaited about the exact cause of the accident.
