14 burnt alive in Andhra bus fire after collision with tipper ,PM announces Rs 2L aid

Guwahati, March 26: At least 14 people were burnt alive and several others injured after a private travel bus collided with a tipper truck and caught fire in Andhra Pradesh’s Markapuram district early Thursday morning, in one of the deadliest road accidents in recent times.

The accident occurred near Rayavaram around 6:30 a.m., when the bus, operated by Harikrishna Travels and carrying around 35 passengers, crashed into a tipper truck near a stone quarry. The impact triggered a massive fire, engulfing both vehicles within minutes. Several passengers were trapped inside and burnt alive, while a few managed to escape.

Rescue teams, including police and fire personnel, rushed to the spot and deployed multiple fire engines to douse the flames. The injured were shifted to nearby hospitals, with some reported to be in critical condition, raising fears that the death toll may rise.

Preliminary findings suggest that the bus may have veered into the opposite lane, possibly due to a steering malfunction, though officials are investigating the exact cause of the accident.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives and announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF). In a post on X, the Prime Minister’s Office termed the incident “tragic” and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep grief and conducted a high-level review with senior officials, directing them to ensure the best possible medical care for the injured and to carry out a thorough probe into the incident. Authorities are also considering shifting critically injured victims to advanced medical facilities in Guntur.

The state government has set up multiple control rooms and helplines at Markapuram, Prakasam, and Nellore to assist families and provide information. Officials said several passengers on board were from Nellore district.

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy also expressed shock over the tragedy, noting that the bus was travelling from Nirmal in Telangana towards Nellore. He directed officials to coordinate with their Andhra Pradesh counterparts to gather details about the victims and ensure proper treatment for the injured.

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president Mahesh Kumar Goud described the incident as a horrific tragedy and extended condolences to the bereaved families, while wishing a speedy recovery to those injured.

Authorities have assured full support to the affected families as investigations continue into the cause of the devastating accident.