Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh – A survivor of the horrific bus fire in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, has recounted the terrifying moments of the tragedy that claimed the lives of at least 20 people early Friday morning. The Kaveri Travels sleeper bus, en route from Hyderabad to Bengaluru with 41 passengers, caught fire on National Highway-44 near Ullindakonda after colliding with a motorcycle around 3:00 am.

Jayant Kushwaha, one of the survivors, described the chilling scene as he awoke to find the bus engulfed in flames. "Around 2:30–2:40 am, the bus stopped and I woke up to see it had caught fire. I couldn't believe that it was fire," Kushwaha told ANI. He realized the danger and along with other passengers, attempted to escape.

The survivors recounted their desperate attempts to escape the inferno, finding the main exit door locked. "We first attempted to exit from the front, but the door was locked," Kushwaha explained to NDTV. "Then we smashed the window at the rear and jumped out". He added that it was quite high and some people lost consciousness from the fall.

Harika, another survivor, recalled waking up to the sounds of screams and the intense heat as flames rapidly spread throughout the bus. She managed to escape through a broken rear door, sustaining injuries in the process. "The back door was broken, so I jumped out from there. In the process of jumping, I got hurt," Harika told NDTV. She also noted the difficulty in knowing how many people were on board due to the sleeper berths and curtains.

Surya, another survivor, mentioned that the fire erupted moments after the bus collided with a motorcycle. "A bike went under the bus, sparks started flying, and then the fire spread everywhere," he explained. According to police reports, the motorcycle became trapped under the bus and hit the fuel tank, leading to an immediate explosion and rapid spread of flames throughout the vehicle. The explosion of the fuel tank triggered a chain reaction, engulfing the vehicle in mere minutes.

According to officials, the main door was likely jammed due to melted wiring after the fire ignited. A fire official highlighted the lack of safety equipment to break the windows. "There were no safety hammers to break glass after the fire accident," the official said.

Approximately 21 passengers managed to escape by breaking windows, while the remaining passengers were trapped and perished in the fire. Firefighters rushed to the scene and extinguished the flames, but the luxury bus was completely destroyed.

Kurnool District Collector A Siri confirmed that 21 passengers were rescued safely. "Among the remaining 20, the bodies of 11 have been identified so far. Efforts are underway to identify the rest," he said.

President Droupadi Murmu and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu expressed their condolences to the bereaved families and assured support to the injured and affected. President Murmu posted on X, "The loss of lives in a tragic bus fire accident in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, is deeply unfortunate. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members and pray for the speedy recovery of those injured". Chief Minister Naidu also posted on X, "I am shocked to learn about the devastating bus fire accident near Chinna Tekur village in Kurnool district. My heartfelt condolences go out to the families of those who have lost their loved ones".

Authorities are investigating the cause of the accident and potential safety lapses.