12 killed after bus, lorry collide in Andhra Pradesh
What's the story
Twelve people have died after a private travel bus collided with a tipper lorry in Andhra Pradesh's Markapuram district. The incident took place around 6:00am on Thursday when the Harikrishna Travels bus, which was en route from Telangana's Nirmal to Nellore, collided with the tipper truck near a slate quarry. After the collision, the bus caught fire and several passengers were burnt alive, officials said.
Aftermath
Death toll feared to rise
"About 18 injured persons have been rescued so far and shifted to hospital. Efforts are on to gather complete details of the incident," Markapuram Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Nagraju told a TV channel, PTI reported. Officials fear that the death toll could increase as more information comes to light.
Official response
CM Naidu orders investigation into accident
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed shock and grief over the incident. He was particularly saddened by reports of passengers being burnt alive in the collision. The chief minister spoke to officials about the situation and reviewed medical treatment for those injured. He has also ordered a detailed investigation into what caused this horrific accident.
Minister's statement
What caused crash
According to reports, the tipper truck collided with the bus while it was taking a turn near the slate quarry. Preliminary findings suggest the tipper truck was overspeeding, which likely caused the collision. Those seated in the bus's rear section were unable to flee and died, while approximately 10 people who were in the front area managed to escape.