A passenger bus travelling from Hyderabad caught fire in the early hours of Saturday near Tallapalem junction, as it was making its way to
All passengers escaped unhurt, and also managed to retrieve their luggage.
According to reports, the bus belonged to Kaveri Travels and had around 40 passengers on board.
A passenger told a local media channel that they had left from Hyderabad on Friday night at around 7.30pm, and had even stopped at Vijayawada for a bit.
As people were getting ready to get down at Anakapalle on Saturday morning, the passenger said that the bus stopped on one side of the road, and the conductor asked all of them to get down, as they had noticed smoke coming from the engine.
Reports also added that some of the passengers were going to attend a wedding.
Police and firefighters rushed to the spot, and doused the fire. The reason for the incident is yet to be ascertained, but it is believed to be a short circuit.
Further details are awaited.
Watch the video below.
This comes just days after Andhra Pradesh Transport Minister K Atchannaidu said that the state government would wage a “war against road accidents.”
In the same address, Home Minister N Chinarajappa said that more than 3,000 people are killed in road accidents every year in the state and roughly 30,000 people suffer injuries.
The Transport Minister said that 25 toll plazas in the state will be equipped with breath analysers. The minister also added that the state will amend the Transport Act if necessary to hold vehicle owners responsible, in case of accidents related to drunken driving.
“If a driver commits a mistake, even the owner should be made responsible for the accident. Even for long journeys, we will insist that two drivers are appointed, to ensure road safety. It is their responsibility," the minister said in the media conference held after the event.
Earlier this month, 15 people were killed, and several more injured, when a lorry ran amok in Andhra's Chittoor district.
Note: An earlier version of the copy stated that it was a Volvo bus. The mistake has been rectified.