14 Killed in Bus-Lorry Crash and Fire in Andhra Pradesh

At least 14 people were killed and more than 20 others injured when a private bus collided with a tipper lorry and burst into flames near a stone quarry in Andhra Pradesh's Markapuram district on Thursday morning.

The accident occurred around 6 a.m. near Rayavaram village, where the Harikrishna Travels bus, carrying about 35 passengers from Nirmal and Jagtial districts in neighboring Telangana to Nellore district, struck the gravel-laden lorry as it navigated a curve. The impact triggered a rapid fire that engulfed both vehicles, trapping several passengers inside. Police said the blaze spread quickly, leaving the bus completely gutted and complicating rescue efforts. Among the dead were women and children, many of whom suffered fatal burns. Officials reported that 10 passengers in the front of the bus managed to escape immediately, while those in the rear were unable to flee.

Markapuram Superintendent of Police V. Harshavardhan Raju stated that 14 bodies had been recovered from the charred wreckage by mid-morning, with 23 injured individuals, including the lorry driver, shifted to government hospitals in Markapuram for treatment of burns and other injuries. "Efforts are on to...