Rayagada, March 22: Three families in the Muniguda block of Odisha’s Rayagada district narrowly escaped tragedy early Sunday morning after a heavily loaded bulker truck carrying aluminium powder overturned and crashed into their homes near the Kanak Parameswari Temple.

According to sources, the accident took place between 4:30 am and 5:00 am. The truck was traveling from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh to Jharsuguda in Odisha when the driver reportedly lost control. The vehicle veered off the road, overturned, and slammed into nearby houses.

The force of the impact caused significant damage, collapsing walls and shattering asbestos roofing sheets. Debris was strewn across the area. Despite the destruction, all members of the three affected families managed to escape without serious injuries.

Residents, believed to have been asleep at the time, reacted quickly and rushed out to safety.

Upon receiving information, Muniguda police arrived at the scene, secured the area, and began initial debris clearance. While brake failure is suspected to be the primary cause of the accident, authorities are continuing their investigation to determine whether factors such as speeding or driver fatigue also played a role.