Fourteen people were killed and 15 others injured when a private travel bus went up in flames after colliding with a tipper truck in Andhra Pradesh’s Markapuram district on Thursday morning.
The incident occurred near Rayavaram at approximately 6:30 AM, close to a stone quarry, where the collision sparked an intense fire that destroyed both vehicles.
The bus, belonging to Harikrishna Travels, had 35 passengers on board. Ten individuals escaped immediately after the fire erupted, while the blaze caught others.
Emergency responders shifted the injured to the Markapuram government hospital, with several reported to be in a critical state. Officials indicated that the number of fatalities could increase.
Police and fire personnel arrived swiftly at the scene, deploying three fire tenders to extinguish the flames and conduct rescue operations.
The bus was travelling from Hyderabad to Pamuru in Prakasam district, carrying passengers primarily from Kanigiri and Pamuru. The tipper truck, loaded with concrete, was en route to Markapuram from Chimakurthy at the time of the accident.
Women and children were also among the victims, adding to the gravity of the tragedy.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep shock over the accident and reviewed the situation with officials. He directed authorities to provide the best possible medical care to the injured and called for a comprehensive probe.
Transport Minister Manipalli Ramprasad Reddy and IT Minister Nara Lokesh also expressed sorrow over the loss of lives and assured assistance to the affected families.
Authorities have launched a thorough investigation to ascertain the cause of the crash and the resulting fire.
The state government also reiterated its commitment to taking strict action based on the findings. It stressed the importance of strengthening road safety measures to avoid similar incidents in the future.
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