Visakhapatnam: Five persons were burnt to death and three others sustained life-threatening injuries after an autorickshaw hit an electric pole at Chintapalli, Visakhapatnam district, on Sunday.
Four children survived with injuries.
The vehicle was overloaded with 13 passengers when the incident took place.
It was raining when the vehicle hit the electric pole as the driver lost control. The pole burst into flames and four passengers were burnt to death on the spot. A fifth passenger died while being rushed to hospital.
Three others suffered critical injuries and are being treated at King George Hospital in Vizag.
“The auto was travelling from the Korukonda weekly market to Cheruvuru. It was raining and the driver lost control of the overloaded vehicle. Subsequently, the vehicle hit the electric pole,” said Chintapalle inspector K. Sridhar said.
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. He spoke to Vizag collector K. Bhaskar and directed him to pay compensation.
He ordered them to arrange for special treatment for the survivors.
