Three killed as van carrying ammonia cylinders hits lorry

Three persons were killed and as many injured when a van loaded with ammonia gas cylinders collided with a lorry on national highway no. 5 in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh early this morning, police said.

Immediately after the collision, the ammonia cylinders exploded causing the van to burst in flames, police said.

The mishap occurred at around 5 AM today near Ravulapalem in East Godavari district when the driver of the van, headed to Gudivada from Visakhapatnam, lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a curve and hit a stationary lorry ahead.

The driver, cleaner and one other passenger in the van were killed on the spot, while one person from the van and two sitting in the lorry sustained injuries, police said.

The bodies were yet to be identified while the injured have been admitted to the Government General hospital at Rajahmundry.

Fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the flames and stop leakage of the ammonia gas from the ill-fated van, they said.

A case has been registered and police and revenue officials were investigating the mishap, they added.