At least three people were killed in a road accident after a private bus lost control due to a tyre burst and crashed into an container lorry in Andhra Pradesh’s Nandyal district in the early hours of Thursday.

The bus was travelling from Nellore to Hyderabad with 36 passengers on board when one of its tyres reportedly burst. Due to the tyre burst, the driver of the bus lost control. The bus crossed the road divider and rammed into the container lorry coming from the other direction.

The accident took place around 2 am at Shirivellametta village of Shirivella mandal (block). Both the bus and truck drivers, besides the truck cleaner, were charred to death beyond recognition, an official from Nandyal district police told local reporters.

According to News18 report, a DCM driver passing through the area stopped at the accident site and broke open the windows of the burning bus, enabling several passengers to escape.

Fire services were pressed into action to douse the flames, while the injured passengers were rescued and shifted to the Nandyal Government Hospital for treatment.

Four passengers sustained minor fracture injuries and were shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment, said the police, adding that timely evacuation prevented further casualties.

Police personnel rushed to the scene soon after receiving information about the accident.

Meanwhile, teams from the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory (RFSL) and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) arrived from Kurnool to examine the scene and ascertain the exact cause of the fire.

A similar tragedy occurred in October 2025 in neighbouring Kurnool district in the state, where a bus fire claimed the lives of 20 passengers.