Amaravathi/Kurnool/Hyderabad: October 26: (ANI): In a horrifying tragedy, at least 20 people were killed and several others injured when a Bengaluru-bound private bus caught fire near Chinnatekur village in Kallur mandal of Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district early Friday morning. The bus, carrying 41 passengers from Hyderabad to Bengaluru, was completely gutted after colliding with a motorcycle that got stuck beneath the vehicle.
According to officials, the accident occurred between 3:00 and 3:10 a.m. when petrol leaking from the bike ignited, engulfing the bus in flames within minutes. Most passengers were asleep at the time. Twelve managed to escape through broken emergency windows, but others were trapped inside as the main doors jammed shut.
Kurnool District Collector A. Siri confirmed that 11 bodies were initially identified, while DNA tests were conducted to identify the remaining victims. As of Sunday, 10 of the 19 bodies had been handed over to families after DNA verification, said Dr. Brahmaji, forensic professor at Kurnool Medical College.
An eyewitness, Jayant Kushwaha, described the terrifying moments when he awoke to find the bus ablaze. “We yelled ‘fire’ and woke everyone up. The doors were locked, and we couldn’t find the drivers. We had to smash the emergency windows to jump out,” he told ANI. Another survivor, Ashwin, said about 20 people managed to escape before the flames consumed the vehicle.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the bus dragged the bike for some distance before catching fire. A fire official said there were no safety hammers inside the vehicle to break the glass during emergencies.
The Kurnool District Collector added that both bus drivers escaped unharmed and that a control room had been set up to assist victims’ families. The Andhra Pradesh police later identified the biker killed in the collision as Shiva Shankar, while the pillion rider, Erri Swami, survived and was taken into custody for questioning.
The tragedy sparked an outpouring of grief and outrage across the nation. President Droupadi Murmu expressed deep sorrow, saying, “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.”
Vice President CP Radhakrishnan called the incident “deeply saddening” and offered condolences to the victims’ families.
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar said he was “deeply pained by the horrific bus fire,” adding that “no words can ease their pain, but every possible support must reach them without delay.”
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu called the accident “devastating” and assured all possible government support to the injured and the families of the deceased. “My heartfelt condolences go out to the families who lost their loved ones,” he posted on X.
Former Chief Minister and YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed profound grief, calling the incident “extremely distressing” and urging the government to extend generous financial assistance to affected families.
Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer also expressed anguish and directed district authorities to provide necessary medical care to survivors.
In neighbouring Telangana, Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar Goud issued a stern warning to bus operators, declaring that “unfit buses flouting safety norms will be seized.” He emphasized that “there is no playing with the lives of citizens,” and said Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka will coordinate to tighten transport safety laws.
Meanwhile, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao and MLC Dasoju Sravan both expressed condolences, with Sravan criticizing what he called “the callousness of the ruling government” for failing to prevent such accidents.
The burnt remains of the Volvo bus — completely charred on National Highway 44 — stand as a grim reminder of one of Andhra Pradesh’s worst transport tragedies in recent years. Authorities have launched a detailed investigation into the safety lapses and cause of the fire. (ANI)
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