At Pinakota village in Anantagiri mandal, a diesel fire erupted early Saturday morning while a pickup truck was being refuelled for a road construction project 100 km away, killing five workers.
The blaze began in the truck’s tank and quickly spread to a dumper and a two‑wheeler, all of which were gutted; an explosion followed, scattering debris and body parts across the site.
Superintendent of Police Amit Bardar told PTI that the incident was accidental, citing inadequate precautions during refuelling as the likely trigger.
A police team arrived on the scene within hours; a second squad is expected to join for a full investigation, and the incident has already spurred demands for tighter safety checks at remote construction sites.
The victims were part of a crew transporting diesel in drums to fuel the site, and their families are awaiting updates as authorities probe the incident.