At least three people were killed and several injured after a private bus travelling from Nellore to Hyderabad lost control due to a tyre burst, collided head-on with a container truck and caught fire in Andhra Pradesh’s Nandyal district early Thursday
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In a horrifying incident in Andhra Pradesh, 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 Nandyal district in the early hours of Thursday.
The police officials said that the accident occurred during the early hours of Thursday near Shirivellametta village in the Shirivella mandal of the district, as reported by news agency IANS.
The officials further asserted that both the drivers of the vehicles and the cleaner of the container truck were charred to death beyond recognition.
Vehicle lost control because of the tyre burst
They further emphasised that 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. Following that, the collision led to a massive fire, with flames engulfing both the bus and the truck within minutes.
As soon as the fire spread quickly, panic gripped the passengers who were inside the bus.
Furthermore, the police said that both the main door and the emergency exit initially failed to open, leaving several passengers trapped inside for a brief period, as per IANS.
Superintendent of Police, Nandyal district, Suneel Sheoran also asserted, "Tonight, roughly between 1:00 am and 1:40 am, 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,” as cited by IANS.
The SP also added that in the collision, both vehicles caught fire. He said, "However, all passengers, except three, on the bus are safe. Every passenger was able to disembark safely," as per IANS.
As soon as the fire broke out, local residents and police personnel rushed to the spot immediately after the accident. Following that, they broke open the bus doors and windows and assisted the passengers in escaping from the burning vehicle.
Four passengers sustained major injuries
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.
SP Sheoran added, "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," reported by IANS.
Police also said that the 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 added that RFSL and FSL teams from Kurnool were being sent to the accident spot.
He highlighted, "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," reported IANS.
(With inputs from IANS)
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