5 dead, 6 injured as autorickshaw catches fire in AP's Anantapur
India Today
Five people died and six others were injured after an autorickshaw caufght fire after coming in contact of a live wire in Andhra Pradesh's Anantapur.
Five agricultural labourers hailing from Guddampalli village in Tadimarri Mandal of Sri Sathya Sai District were burnt alive in Anantapur as an 11 KV high tension electric wire fell on the auto they were travelling in. Six other labourers were injured in the accident and were rushed to a hospital.
According to police, 11 labourers were traveling in the auto. The fire started when a live wire snapped at an insulator near a pole and then fell on an iron bed on the top of the auto.
As the wire fell, the driver jumped out and pushed two people sitting next to him. Three more workers jumped out of the auto as soon as the fire erupted.
The state government has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each for the kin of the deceased. Rs 2 lakh compensation has been announced for the injured persons.
(Inputs by Damodar)
