VIJAYAWADA: Four persons were burnt alive and another suffered critical injuries after an electric car crashed into a roadside railing and caught fire on the Vijayawada West Bypass near Nunna in NTR district on Monday.
The vehicle was completely gutted in the accident, leaving four occupants dead at the scene. The injured person was shifted to a nearby hospital, where the condition was stated to be critical.
The deceased were identified as Kommareddy Ramdev (39) and his mother, Kommareddy Aruna, both residents of Nunna near Vijayawada; Tiguru Vijaya of Namburu in Guntur district; and a child. The identity of the injured person is yet to be ascertained.
According to Kothapet police, the victims were returning after attending a function at Namburu when the accident occurred. The electric car reportedly rammed into the roadside railing, following which flames rapidly engulfed the vehicle.
Locals alerted the police and fire services, whose personnel rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control. The charred bodies were recovered from the vehicle. Relatives who reached the accident site broke down on seeing the tragedy.
Police registered a case and launched an investigation into the circumstances leading to the accident.
Naidu expresses shock over tragedy, condoles deaths
The cause of the crash and the circumstances in which the electric vehicle caught fire are being examined.
On learning about the incident, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expresse shock and grief over the tragic accident on the Vijayawada West Bypass.
He conveyed condolences to the bereaved families and directed officials to provide the best medical care to the injured, while seeking a detailed report on the cause of the mishap. Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan also conveyed condolences to the victims’ families, instructed officials to ensure proper treatment for the injured, and sought an explanation for the mishap.
Minister for Education and Information Technology Nara Lokesh expressed shock over the deaths and said he had directed officials to ensure the best possible medical treatment for the injured person. He conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families.