A devastating accident in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, claimed 19 lives early on Friday when a private Volvo bus carrying more than 40 passengers burst into flames after colliding with a two-wheeler.
The luxury bus, operated by a private travel company and registered in Odisha, was travelling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru when the incident occurred near Chinnatekur village at around 3:30 AM.
According to officials, 21 people survived the fire after managing to escape through the emergency exit and by breaking the glass windows.
A few passengers remain unaccounted for.
The vehicle, operated by Vkaveri Travels, had 43 passengers, including two drivers, ten women, and two children.
Kurnool District Collector A Siri, speaking to the media at the site, said that out of 41 people confirmed to be on board, 21 survivors have been traced, and 11 of them have been taken to the hospital.
All injured passengers are likely to be in stable condition.
The bus began its journey from Hyderabad around 10:30 PM. It was travelling on National Highway 44 when a motorbike collided with it.
The bike became trapped beneath the bus, and sparks from the contact, along with a fuel leak, reportedly triggered the blaze.
Survivors recounted that the motorcycle kept dragging for nearly 300 metres, and flames first appeared in the front section of the bus.
Most passengers were asleep when the collision occurred. Some survivors said that the main door jammed, making it difficult to escape, and many had to break windows to get out.
One survivor recalled waking to cries of ‘fire’ before jumping through a shattered rear window.
Another passenger, Akash, said flames engulfed the bus within minutes. Most of the travellers were residents of Hyderabad.
The motorbike rider, identified as Shiva Shankar (20) from Kurnool town, killed in the crash.
Fire tenders arrived at the scene after the blaze had completely destroyed the bus.
Rescue teams and police worked swiftly to move the injured to nearby hospitals.
Collector A Siri said officials were still investigating the cause of the crash. They are trying to determine whether the bus hit the bike or the two-wheeler collided with the bus. The fire is likely to have started immediately after the impact.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Koya Praveen confirmed that the fire originated from the bike’s fuel tank, not the bus’s.
“The fuel tank of the bus is intact. The fire started from the bike’s fuel tank. As the material under the bus was highly combustible, the fire spread rapidly,” he stated.
Of the two bus drivers, one has been detained, while the other is missing, officials said.
Forensic experts have retrieved the remains of the deceased.
As most bodies were charred beyond recognition, DNA tests will be conducted to establish their identities.
Following directions from Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, senior officials from Gadwal district arrived at the site to assist families of the deceased and the survivors.
A total of 13 ambulances dispatched from Hyderabad to Kurnool to transport the bodies.
Authorities said those who perished in the tragedy were from Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka.
Andhra Pradesh Transport Minister M Ramprasad Reddy visited the accident site on Friday. He said the state government would extend full support to the families of the victims. Reddy also assured that proper assistance would be provided to the survivors.
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