Rayavaram: At least eight people were killed and about 18 were injured in a bus fire accident Andhra Pradesh’s in Markapuram district on Thursday, March 26, police said.

The victims were burnt alive. According to local TV channels, the bus collided with a gravel-loaded tipper.

Police said some passengers sustained minor injuries and were undergoing treatment at a hospital, while officials continue to collect further information.

“Nearly eight people were burnt alive, and about 18 injured persons have been rescued so far and shifted to hospital. Efforts are on to gather complete details of the incident,” Markapuram Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Nagraju told a TV channel.

Rescue teams are working to identify the victims and gather details of their relatives, who will be informed once verification is completed, he said.

Nagraju said that some bodies are still believed to be trapped inside the bus, which caught fire following the accident, making retrieval operations difficult.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed shock over the accident and expressed grief over the loss of lives.