- Three people died after a diesel tanker caught fire in Azamgarh district, UP
- The tanker collided with an electricity pole following a tyre burst at 10.30 pm
- The impact caused a short circuit, igniting the tanker and damaging the pole
Three people were burned to death after a diesel-laden tanker caught fire following a collision with an electricity pole in Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh district, police said on Tuesday.
The accident took place around 10.30 pm on Monday in the Jiyanpur police station area when the tanker allegedly went out of control after a tyre burst and rammed into an electricity pole, Circle Officer (Sagri) Deshraj Singh said.
The impact triggered a short circuit, setting the tanker ablaze within moments, he said.
Police, fire brigade and administrative officials rushed to the spot after receiving information about the incident. Firefighters brought the blaze under control after several hours.
An electricity pole was damaged in the accident, disrupting power supply to several nearby villages.
On Tuesday morning, the burnt tanker was cut open and the charred bodies of the driver, the helper and another person trapped inside were recovered.
The bodies were burnt beyond recognition and are yet to be identified, police said.
The remains have been sent to the district hospital for post-mortem examination.
Efforts are underway to establish the identity of the deceased and ascertain the exact cause of the accident, police added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
