Andhra Pradesh blast kills teacher and four others during road-widening work

VISAKHAPATNAM: A routine journey to school turned fatal on Saturday after an explosion during road expansion work claimed five lives in Andhra Pradesh’s Alluri Sitharama Raju district.

The blast occurred near Pinakota village in Ananthagiri mandal, where explosives were being used to break rocks along a ghat road. The victims included a government schoolteacher, three road workers and a vehicle driver, according to officials.

The teacher, identified as Sunitha, was travelling along the stretch on her way to school when the explosion occurred. She taught at MPP School in Maddirebu village under Pinakota panchayat.

Preliminary findings indicate that a device containing gelatin sticks detonated unexpectedly during the road-widening operation. The force of the explosion destroyed two vehicles at the site. Police are examining the circumstances that led to the blast.

The three workers and the driver died in the incident. The other victims were identified as Mani, Narayana Rao and Pavan Kumar, while the identity of the fifth victim was not consistently available in initial reports.

Police and revenue officials reached the site after receiving information about the explosion and began rescue and investigative operations.

Authorities are working to establish how the explosives detonated and whether safety procedures were followed during the blasting work. The exact cause of the incident has not yet been conclusively established.