Andhra Pradesh Bus Accident Claims 12 Lives

A tragic event took place in Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh early Friday morning. This was when a private bus carrying approximately forty passengers to Bengaluru caught fire. It killed at least twelve people. The incident happened when the bus slammed into a motorcycle on National Highway 44. It set the bus on fire in seconds. The motorcyclist died as well.

The fire started after the bus collided with the motorcycle. A Volvo under Kaveri Travels was transporting passengers from Hyderabad to Bengaluru when it collided around three a.m. This happened close to Ullindakonda. That accident led to a fire that quickly engulfed the entire bus.

Eyewitness accounts state that most of the passengers were asleep on the bus when it happened. They struggled to escape due to the speed of the fire engulfing the bus. The fire was so bad that some of the bodies were unrecognizable. One passenger who survived, Harika, who did have some burns, said about the terrible moments, “I woke up to the smell of smoke and heat. The rear door was broken so I jumped out the back.”

The flames spread so rapidly that there was no time to react.

Another survivor, Surya, said the fire ignited right after the motorcycle went under the bus.

“A bicycle came and hit the motorcycle.” The sparks ignited and the fire was spreading all around. “People who could get out.”

12 Dead, Several Injured

Officials said that of the 40 on board, 12 were dead. Several others were injured, taken to nearby hospitals. Around 20 managed to escape by breaking the windows before the entire bus was fully engulfed.
Officials suspect the driver is no longer on the scene. A forensic team has been sent to help establish the identity of the victim as the fire burned extremely hot.

“I can’t even describe it. There were many who were burned beyond recognition – makes it even more hard to identify.” TDP MP Byreddy Shabari noted that Andhra Pradesh transport officials are investigating the bus’s safety and maintenance history.

Government and Officials Respond

N. Chandrababu Naidu, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, stated that he was very sorry and sympathized with the families of the victims. He stated that the State Government would provide full aid to the affected.

The Prime Minister has also announced a compensation of ₹2 lakh for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured.

At the same time, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he was also distressed about the ₹50,000 for the injured in the incident.

He expressed the sadness of the occurrence, calling it a “very disturbing and sad” event.

“Many precious lives were lost and several were injured due to this terrible incident.” “Sending my heartfelt condolences to the families who are grieving the loss of their loved ones. “Sending positive and healing wishes to those who are injured,” he posted on X (previously Twitter).

Witness Accounts Reveal Chaos

Passengers indicated that because of the sleeper seat arrangement of the Volvo bus and moving curtains and enclosed portions of the bus, it was difficult to locate each other in the event of an emergency.

“Our bus was constructed for sleeping, we didn’t know who was where because of the curtains,” one of the passengers commented. “People were panicking and there was smoke,” recalled another.

Emergency personnel were at the accident scene shortly after the accident was reported, but the bus was already fully involved in flames.

The recovery process uncovered the burned remains of 12 passengers, and so began the identification process.

Investigation Launched In Relation to Cause of Fire

The Kurnool police and transport department have opened a detailed investigation into the cause of the fire. Early reports appear to suggest that the fire initiated as a result of the crash with the motorcycle, possibly due with a fuel leak, or as a result of an electrical short.

Authorities are also investigating whether the bus was compliant with needed safety inspections, and if the required fire extinguishers were located on the bus, as required by road safety regulations.

A Strong Reminder for Passenger Safety

This incident reminds us, once again, of the need for the enforcement of stricter bus operating safety requirements in India. Buses used for passenger service, especially passenger buses used for longer duration travel should be equipped with emergency exits, fire extinguishers and should have safety inspections on a regular basis.

While the investigations are underway, victim’s families are seeking justice and wish to improve safety measures to prevent the possibility of further double tragedies in the future.

The Kurnool bus fire has shocked many in the country, rekindling the development for a better safety program, and scrutiny on passenger’s safety and vehicle service requirements in this country. While condolences spring in from leaders across the country and states, this incident happens to be one of the more heartbreaking recent news updates in India this week.