Three killed, several injured as bus-lorry collision triggers fire in Andhra Pradesh | VIDEO

Nandyal (Andhra Pradesh): Three people were killed and several others injured after a private bus collided with a lorry and caught fire near Sirivellametta in Nandyal district on Thursday, officials said.

The accident occurred when the bus reportedly suffered a tyre burst, causing it to veer off course and crash into an oncoming lorry. The impact led to a massive blaze that quickly engulfed the vehicles. At the time of the incident, around 36 passengers were travelling on the bus.

Local residents rushed to the spot and helped rescue passengers, while fire service personnel and ambulances arrived shortly after to provide emergency assistance. A nearby DCM driver reportedly smashed the bus windows, allowing passengers to escape, while the bus cleaner also played a key role in pulling people out of the burning vehicle.

Confirming the incident, Sirivellametta Inspector Madhusudan said, “A private bus suffered a tyre burst and collided with an oncoming lorry, resulting in the death of three people near Sirivellametta in Nandyal district. The bus driver, the lorry driver, and the cleaner were burnt alive in the accident. Soon after the collision, the bus caught fire. A local DCM driver broke the bus windows, helping 36 passengers escape safely and saving their lives."Three people died in the accident, four sustained serious injuries and were shifted to the hospital, while eight others suffered minor injuries.”

Eyewitnesses said they heard a loud explosion-like sound before flames rapidly spread through the bus. “People were shouting, warning others not to come close. Soon, we noticed ambulances and fire service teams arriving at the spot. Everything happened so suddenly that we could not understand what was happening,” one local resident said.

The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, and further details are awaited.