Government school teacher among seven dead in ASR district fuel vehicle explosion

A residential vehicle and a dumper are engulfed in flames, smoke billows from the vehicles after a fire at Pinakota in Ananthagiri mandal of Alluri Sitharama Raju district on October 24, 2026. Photo: Special Arrangement

Seven people, including a government school teacher, were killed in a fire following a massive explosion at Pinakota panchayat in Ananthagiri mandal of Alluri Sitharama Raju district on Saturday (October 24, 2026) morning.

The incident reportedly occurred when a pick-up truck carrying a large quantity of diesel and petrol, said to be for earth-moving machinery involved in construction work on the road, caught fire as the workers were preparing to transfer the fuel to another vehicle.

According to preliminary information from the police, the pickup truck was going towards the Pinakota region where road construction work was going on by the AP Panchayat Raj department. A dump truck was also heading to the construction site. The pick-up was carrying four persons including the driver M. Manikanta; J. Suneetha, a government school teacher who was reportedly looking for a lift to a village near Pinakota to attend school; and two wardens, Narayana Rao and Pavan Kumar, both of Cheedikad.

The incident took place around 8.30 am near Peechumamidi village when Manikanta was allegedly trying to pour fuel into the tipper with the help of his driver Praveen. Two JCB operators, Tinku and Nazeeruddin, were also said to be present near the vehicles when the incident occurred.

The police suspect that the fire may have been caused by a spark created during the transport of fuel. The truck was also said to be carrying an LPG cylinder, possibly for workers’ cooking purposes. Investigators believe the fire may have spread to the cylinder and triggered a powerful explosion within seconds.

Workers and eyewitnesses in the vicinity reportedly heard a deafening explosion, after which both vehicles were engulfed in flames. The impact was so strong that the bodies were reportedly thrown several meters away from the site. One body was found badly dismembered at a distance, making identification difficult.

The police identified the deceased as M. Manikanta, Narayana Rao, Pavan Kumar, Praveen, Suneetha and Tinka. The identity of the seventh person has not yet been confirmed.

The incident took place in an inland village near the banks of Raiwada dam where there is limited road connectivity and transport facilities. The difficult terrain presented challenges for those who rushed to the scene after the explosion.

Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha expressed grief over the death and spoke to District Collector ASR T Nishanthi and Superintendent of Police Amit Bardar to inquire about the incident and the action taken. Andhra Pradesh Telugu Desam Party President Palla Srinivasa Rao also expressed grief over the tragedy.

Published – 24 Oct 2026 11:08 IST