A devastating bus collision and subsequent fire in Andhra Pradesh, southern India, has reportedly killed at least 20 people and injured many others. The incident occurred early Friday morning near Chinna Tekur village in the Kurnool district.
The private bus, operated by Kaveri Travels, was traveling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru with approximately 42-44 passengers on board. Initial reports indicate that the bus collided with a motorcycle, causing a fuel leak that ignited the deadly blaze. According to police, the motorcycle was dragged under the bus, hitting the fuel tank and causing an immediate explosion. The bus was engulfed in flames within minutes.
Many passengers were asleep at the time of the accident, which occurred around 3:00 AM to 3:30 AM. The intensity of the fire and the speed at which it spread made escape difficult, and the bus door was jammed due to a short circuit. Local villagers were the first to respond to the scene, attempting to rescue passengers from the burning vehicle before fire tenders arrived. Firefighters from Kurnool deployed four fire engines to control the blaze, but the bus was largely destroyed.
Kurnool District Collector A. Siri stated that 21 passengers were rescued. Authorities are working to identify the remaining victims. As of Friday, 11 of the 20 bodies had been identified. Injured passengers were transported to Kurnool Government General Hospital. A control room has been established to assist in tracing the families of the deceased.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences and announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹2 lakh (approximately $2,400 USD) to the next of kin of the deceased and ₹50,000 (approximately $600 USD) to the injured from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF). Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, currently on an official tour in Dubai, also expressed sorrow and directed officials to provide immediate relief and medical assistance. President Droupadi Murmu conveyed her condolences to the bereaved families. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar also expressed his grief.
Authorities have registered a case and ordered an investigation into the incident. Police are investigating the cause of the accident, including reports that the bus lacked adequate safety measures. Preliminary investigations suggest that a short circuit may have contributed to the accident, and combustible materials inside the bus exacerbated the fire.
This tragedy follows a similar incident earlier this month in Rajasthan, where 22 people were killed in a bus fire.
