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Andhra Pradesh: Five charred to death after auto catches fire
The auto rickshaw that was carrying labourers, rammed into an electric pole after which high-tension wires fell onto it and the vehicle immediately caught fire
At least five people were charred to death when an auto rickshaw which they were travelling in caught fire after a high-tension electric wire fell on the vehicle in Andhra Pradesh’s Satya Sai district on Thursday morning.
The incident happened near Chillakondaiah Palli village of Tadimarri block at around 7am, when an auto rickshaw carrying an unknown number of agriculture labourers rammed into an electric pole, as a result of which high-tension wires fell on the vehicle.
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“Within seconds, the entire vehicle went up in flames. Some of the passengers, including the driver, jumped out of the vehicle, others were caught and were charred to death,” Tadimarri sub-inspector police D Laxminarayana told HT.
Alerted by locals, the electricity department staff switched off the power supply to avoid further casualties. The police rushed to the spot and took up the rescue operations along with the locals and revenue staff.
“We have recovered five bodies so far. Another five to six passengers are seriously injured. We have shifted them to a local hospital,” the SI said, adding that the victims were identified as farm labourers from Guddampalli village.
