Tragic Road Accident at Sirivella Metta in Nandyal District

A spate of road accidents is creating fear among commuters, with yet another tragic incident reported early Thursday near Sirivella Metta in Nandyal district , even as memories of last year’s Kurnool and Chevella accidents remain fresh.

A private travel bus heading from Nellore to Hyderabad met with a fatal accident after one of its tyres burst, causing the vehicle to lose control, cross the road divider and collide head-on with an oncoming container lorry. Three people were killed on the spot in the mishap.

According to district police, the ARBCVR Travels bus, carrying 36 passengers to Hyderabad , met with the accident around 1.40 a.m. The tyre burst led to the driver losing control, resulting in a severe collision with the lorry. Both vehicles immediately caught fire following the impact. The bus driver, the lorry driver and the lorry cleaner were killed instantly. Police said the bodies were completely charred and unidentifiable due to the intensity of the blaze.

Soon after the accident, flames engulfed the bus. A DCM vehicle driver passing by acted swiftly, stopping his vehicle, breaking the bus windows and alerting passengers to evacuate immediately. With the help of locals and other motorists, passengers were rescued through emergency exits. More than ten passengers sustained minor injuries after jumping out through windows, while four others suffered fractures, police said. The injured were shifted to the Nandyal Government General Hospital for treatment.

The container lorry was completely gutted in the fire, and all passengers’ luggage was reduced to ashes. Police rushed to the spot upon receiving information and carried out rescue operations. Traffic on the stretch was temporarily halted and later restored once the situation was brought under control.

Nandyal district Superintendent of Police Sunil Saran said a tyre burst was suspected to be the primary cause of the accident. “Timely evacuation of passengers helped avert a major loss of life,” he said.

To ascertain the exact cause of the accident, teams from the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory (RFSL) and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) from Kurnool visited the spot and conducted inspections. Police have registered a case and further investigation is underway.