The accident occurred on National Highway–44 near Macharam village in Jadcherla mandal
Credit: X/@MBNRpolice
Hyderabad: A major road accident was narrowly averted on National Highway 44 near Jadcherla in Telangana on Thursday, when a private bus with 26 passengers collided with the rear of a chemical tanker carrying hydrochloric acid. The impact caused the tanker to leak dense chemical fumes and sparking panic among those at the scene.
According to Jadcherla Town CI K Kamalakar, the Hyderabad-bound bus from Chittoor hit the slowly moving tanker near the Macharam flyover. The bus driver immediately alerted the passengers, who evacuated through the emergency exits, escaping major harm. Only a few suffered minor injuries in the rush to safety.
Firefighters were deployed to the spot and swiftly brought the chemical fumes under control, preventing a potential disaster. The affected passengers were transferred to another bus to continue their journey.
The incident led to a severe traffic jam, stretching for nearly three kilometers along both sides of NH-44, causing major inconvenience to commuters. With recent bus accidents fresh in the public’s memory, the sight of chemical smoke created widespread alarm in the area.