At least 14 people were charred to death, and 23 others were injured after a tipper truck collided with a bus and caught fire near Rayavaram in the Markapuram district of Andhra Pradesh on Thursday, police said. According to local TV channels, the bus collided with a gravel-loaded tipper.
The private travel bus was heading to Kaligiri in Nellore district from Jagityal in Telangana, with around 35 passengers on board, when the incident occurred.
18 injured persons shifted to hospital
The flames spread rapidly, engulfing both the bus and the tipper completely. Passengers seated in the rear of the bus were unable to escape and were tragically burnt alive.
Police said several passengers sustained minor injuries and are undergoing treatment at a hospital, while officials continue to gather more details about the incident.
Markapuram Superintendent of Police (SP) V Harshavardhan Raju said, "Fourteen people died in the accident and 23 injured persons have been shifted to hospital, including the driver. Efforts are on to gather complete details of the incident."
Rescue operation underway
Rescue teams are working to identify the victims and trace their relatives, who will be informed after verification, an official said.
According to Nagraju, some bodies are still believed to be trapped inside the bus, which caught fire after the collision, making rescue and retrieval operations challenging.
Meanwhile, N Chandrababu Naidu expressed shock over the accident and conveyed his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.
The CM spoke to officials to ensure that the injured were receiving adequate medical assistance. He directed officials to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the cause of the accident and submit a report.
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