14 Dead as Bus, Tipper Collide and Catch Fire in Markapuram
Private travels bus from Hyderabad catches fire after crashing into speeding tipper near Rayavaram quarries; several injured, toll may rise
Nellore: At least 14 people were killed and 23 injured after a private bus collided with a tipper lorry and burst into flames in Markapuram district on Thursday, police said. The bus caught fire, leaving several passengers trapped inside the burning vehicle.
Authorities estimate that more than 20 passengers were on board at the time. Tragically, those seated in the rear section of the bus were unable to flee and were burned alive. Around 10 passengers seated in the front managed to escape, though some sustained serious injuries.
The injured were rushed to the Markapuram Government Hospital, where they are currently undergoing treatment. Police and fire department personnel responded swiftly, bringing the blaze under control and initiating rescue operations.
Initial findings indicate that overspeeding by the tipper truck may have led to the collision, particularly as the bus was negotiating a turn near the quarry zone. However, officials have launched a detailed investigation to determine the exact cause.
According to Markapuram DSP U. Nagaraju, the private bus (Harikrishna Travels) was traveling from Jagtial in Telangana to Kaligiri in SPSR Nellore District. He stated that 23 passengers were rescued.
The tipper was reportedly en route from Chimakurthy towards Markapuram at the time of the accident. Local MLA Kandula Narayana Reddy visited the accident site and reviewed the situation. Officials suspect that some of the victims may be from the Kanigiri region, though formal identification is still underway.
The tragic incident has sent shockwaves across the region, raising serious concerns about road safety, particularly in high-risk quarry zones. Further updates are awaited as authorities continue their investigation.
