Fiery Head-On Collision Claims Three Lives on Nandyal Highway After Tyre Burst

The incident was triggered when a private bus traveling from Nellore to Hyderabad suffered a sudden front tyre blowout while navigating the Nandyal-Allagadda highway. The mechanical failure caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle, which subsequently careened across the central divider into the oncoming lane. It struck an approaching container lorry head-on with immense force. The impact immediately ignited a massive blaze that quickly engulfed both vehicles, trapping those in the driver cabins within the wreckage.

While the fire spread rapidly, a catastrophic loss of life among the passengers was narrowly averted by the heroic intervention of a passing DCM truck driver. Upon witnessing the inferno, the driver stopped his vehicle and rushed to the burning bus, shattering windows to create escape routes. Assisted by the bus cleaner and local residents who rushed to the site, they managed to evacuate the passengers before the flames became insurmountable. Despite these efforts, the bus driver, the lorry driver, and the lorry cleaner could not be reached in time and perished in the fire.

Emergency services transported twelve survivors to the Nandyal Government General Hospital. Medical officials have reported that four individuals are currently being treated for serious injuries, while eight others sustained minor wounds and are expected to recover. Local police have cordoned off the area and launched a comprehensive investigation into the technical failure of the bus. Authorities have noted that this specific stretch of the highway is increasingly accident-prone, prompting a stern advisory for transport operators and private drivers to conduct rigorous and regular maintenance checks on their vehicle tyres to prevent similar mechanical catastrophes.

The tragedy serves as a grim reminder of the volatile nature of long-distance highway travel and the critical importance of vehicular safety standards. As the community mourns the three lives lost, the incident has reignited discussions regarding road safety protocols and the need for better emergency response infrastructure on high-speed corridors. For now, the focus remains on the recovery of the injured and the ongoing forensic examination of the wreckage to determine if negligence played a role in the fatal tyre failure.