Four charred to death in lorry-container collision in Andhra Pradesh

Due to the impact of the collision, the lorry exploded and the drivers’ cabins of both the trucks were completely gutted in the fire

Four people were charred to death when a sand-laden lorry collided with a diesel container on the Chennai-Kolkata national highway in Andhra Pradesh’s Kakinada district in the wee hours of Friday, police said.

The incident happened near Dharmavaram village of Prathipadu block. (Agencies)

The incident happened near Dharmavaram village of Prathipadu block. “Drivers and cleaners of both the vehicles were charred beyond recognition as the cabins were engulfed in flames,” said a police official from Prathipadu police station, requesting anonymity.

He said that the sand-laden lorry was travelling from Rajamahendravaram (Rajahmundry) to Visakhapatnam. “Apparently, the lorry driver lost control over the steering wheel and crossed the road divider on the national highway and rammed into a stationery diesel container, resulting in the accident,” the police official quoted above said.

Due to the impact of the collision, the lorry exploded and the drivers’ cabins of both the trucks were completely gutted in the fire. “Three of them were completely charred in the flames, the fourth victim, who fell off the vehicle on the road, died while being taken to the hospital,” the police official said.

The local residents immediately alerted the police, who rushed there along with a fire tender to douse the fire. “Cranes were brought to the accident site to remove the damaged vehicles and clear the road to avoid traffic jam,” the police said.

The Prathipadu police have registered a case of accident and are investigating the matter.