The incident took place in India on Thursday, March 26
Credit: NDTV/Youtube
NEED TO KNOW
- A private bus and a gravel truck collided in the early hours of Thursday, March 26, in India
- According to local reports, 14 people died and 28 others were injured, with passengers being “burned alive”
- There were 41 people traveling on the bus, while the truck driver was transported to the hospitali
Fourteen people have reportedly died and 28 others have been injured after a private bus collided head-on with a gravel-loaded tipper truck in India.
The incident took place in the early hours of Thursday, March 26, in Markapuram in the state of Andhra Pradesh, with the victims being burned alive, according to India Today and The Times of India.
In a statement on X, the Office of the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh confirmed that the bus had been traveling from the city of Nirmal in the state of Telangana to Nellore in Andhra Pradesh.
“Honorable Chief Minister Shri Nara Chandrababu Naidu expressed shock over the road accident that occurred near Rayavaram in Markapuram district,” the statement read. “He conveyed profound grief over several passengers in the bus being burned alive in the incident where a tipper collided with a private travel bus. He spoke with officials and gathered details.”
Credit: Arun Kumar/ The India Today Group via Getty
The office added, “Officials informed that this bus, belonging to Harikrishna Travels, was traveling from Nirmal in Telangana state to Nellore. He directed officials to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the causes of the accident and submit a report.”
A fire broke out within minutes of the collision, according to The Times of India.
Multiple rescue teams responded to the incident with locals also successfully assisting in rescuing people who had been trapped, India Today reported.
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In pictures shared on social media, flames and smoke could be seen at the scene with the vehicles completely charred.
"We have shifted 23 injured people to the hospital. Efforts are on to gather complete details of the incident," Markapuram Superintendent of Police (SP) V Harshavardhan Raju told local news agency the Press Trust of India, per India Today.
The truck driver was also taken to hospital after sustaining injuries.
In a previous statement, Markapuram District In-charge Collector P. Raja Babu, told The Hindu, “Out of 41 passengers in the bus, 13 persons died on the spot and their bodies were collected. Among 25 injured persons admitted in Government Hospital in Markapuram, 10 suffered severe injuries and five were in critical condition. The five critical persons will be shifted to Guntur GGH.”
Officials are working to identify the victims, per The Times of India.
The cause of the incident remains under investigation.
PEOPLE reached out to Andhra Pradesh Police, India Fire Service and Harikrishna Travels for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
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