Kurnool bus fire leaves 20 dead: People perish in sleep, fully charred
The Bengaluru-Hyderabad bus, carrying 41 people on board, caught fire after hitting a bike at Chinnatekur village in Kurnool district
Twenty passengers were killed in a fire in an ill-fated private bus in Andhra Pradesh's Kurnool district on Friday (October 24). The private bus from Hyderabad to Bengaluru caught fire after colliding with a two-wheeler. Only a few, jolted awake by the flames, managed to break the windows and escape through the emergency exit.
For most, death struck without a warning. Several passengers were fast asleep and died without even realising what was happening when the Bengaluru-bound bus caught fire around 3 AM after an accident involving a motorcycle, leaving 20 dead on the spot. Most victims were charred beyond recognition.
The blaze completely gutted the sleeper bus, reducing it to a metal skeleton. There were some techies onboard when the accident happened and the survivors recalled the tense moments leading to their miraculous escape, even while suffering broken limbs and other minor injuries.
Killed in sleep
Nellore-based S Harika said she was asleep and "when I woke up I saw fire engulfing the bus which spread within seconds." "The rear door was broken by a passenger for escaping and we all jumped out from it and I suffered a minor injury on the forehead," she told PTI.
An IT employee, Harika is now under observation in a hospital. She stated her condition was fine.
Surya, a survivor who lives in Hyderabad said that around 2:45 am the fire engulfed the bus. He said that he was heading to Bengaluru for a job interview at a top IT firm on Saturday. "My legs are fractured because I jumped from over 15 feet height. The doctor said I will be fine soon," he told PTI.
According to Kurnool District Collector A Siri, a total of 41 people, including the driver, were in the bus. Of the 41 onboard, 21 have been traced.
Doors jammed
Those who escaped the accident are stable and out of danger, she said.
Many passengers could not escape the tragedy as it occurred during the night when they were asleep, she said. She said the bus door did not open immediately as some wires got cut which increased the severity of the tragedy.
Most of the passengers belonged to Hyderabad, Siri added.
A Bengaluru-bound private bus from Hyderabad caught fire in Andhra Pradesh's Kurnool district on early Friday (October 24) after colliding with a two-wheeler, leaving 20 people dead, a senior police official said.
Official sources indicated that the toll may rise. Among the deceased was the biker.
According to initial reports, the motorcycle collided with the luxury bus near Chinnatekur in Kurnool and got dragged underneath with its fuel cap open, triggering the blaze.
"Police are entering the bus to assess the situation, and the fate of nine other passengers is yet to be ascertained," Kurnool Range DIG Koya Praveen said.
Also read: 21 injured as govt bus overturns on rain-slicked road in Villupuram
According to the police, the accident occurred at 3 am.
The bus door got jammed due to a short circuit and the vehicle was completely gutted within minutes. Most survivors were aged between 25 and 35 years, police said.
Rain hampers rescue work
The police and fire personnel rushed to the scene and shifted the injured to Kurnool Government Hospital for treatment.
Heavy rain in the area hampered rescue operations. Authorities have ordered an inquiry into the tragic incident.
President Droupadi Murmu, in a post on X, condoled the deaths. "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," she said.
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- 24 Oct 2025 8:51 PM IST
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- 24 Oct 2025 7:07 PM IST
Govt initiated inquiry to ensure such incidents don't happen in future: Telangana transport minister
Commenting on the accident, Telangana Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said, "Four people from Hyderabad have died. The government has initiated action and an inquiry to ensure such incidents do not happen again."
VIDEO | Hyderabad: Telangana transport minister Ponnam Prabhakar on Kurnool bus fire incident says, "Four people from Hyderabad have died. The government has initiated action and an inquiry to ensure such incidents do not happen again."
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 24, 2025
(Full video available on PTI Videos –… pic.twitter.com/6Ca5gxYzAa - 24 Oct 2025 7:02 PM IST
Telangana minister visits accident site
Telangana Minister Jupalli Krishna Rao visited the accident site in Kurnool.
#WATCH | Telangana Minister Jupalli Krishna Rao visited the bus accident site in Kurnool district today
— ANI (@ANI) October 24, 2025
Video source: PRO of Jupalli Krishna Rao, Telangana Minister pic.twitter.com/93jc4jZQri - 24 Oct 2025 7:02 PM IST
Watch | Kurnool bus fire: Survivors narrate night of horror on highway
A Hyderabad–Bengaluru omnibus caught fire near Kurnool, killing 20 people, including an entire family returning from Diwali holidays. Survivors described how they tried to desperately escape through shattered windows. The CM has ordered a full probe and statewide safety audits on private buses after the horrific tragedy. Watch the video.
- 24 Oct 2025 5:23 PM IST
Kurnool bus fire: Hindupur resident saves six passengers from flames
In the devastating bus fire tragedy near Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh that claimed 20 lives, one man turned out to be a saviour and came to the rescue of six passengers.
On his way to visit his brother in Nandyal, a Hindupur resident spotted the burning bus on the highway in the early hours of Friday (October 24). Without a second thought, he rushed to help the injured, quickly driving them safely to the Kurnool Government Hospital for treatment.
- 24 Oct 2025 5:22 PM IST
Andhra govt forms a high-level committee to probe Kurnool bus accident
The Andhra Pradesh government on Friday (October 24) constituted a high-level committee comprising officials from the transport, roads, and revenue departments to investigate the fatal bus fire in Kurnool, which claimed 20 lives.
“The government has constituted a high-power committee with officials from the transport, roads, and revenue departments to investigate the bus fire accident,” State Home Minister V. Anitha said at a press conference.
According to the minister, ten special teams have been deployed to collect and examine DNA samples for identifying the deceased, while four forensic teams are investigating the cause of the fire and two other teams are conducting chemical analysis.
She stated that appropriate action would be taken based on the committee’s findings. Anitha also confirmed that the bus possessed a valid All-India Permit and fitness certificate.
A detailed report will be submitted to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu upon completion of the inquiry, the minister added.
- 24 Oct 2025 5:18 PM IST
Kurnool bus tragedy: Surge in sleeper bus fire accidents triggers call for nationwide ban
Private sleeper buses plying between cities and states are fast turning out to be 'moving coffins'. The rising number of accidents, especially involving sleeper buses, is triggering widespread concern and calls to ban these vehicles are surfacing.
The recent tragedy involving a Kaveri Travels sleeper bus from Hyderabad to Bengaluru on October 24 has again brough this issue to the fore. Many experts say that lack of safety measures inside the buses, over-speeding and reckless driver behaviour, continue to cause devastating bus accidents.
- 24 Oct 2025 5:17 PM IST
Diwali fervour ended in tragedy for two techies killed in Kurnool bus fire
For techies Gannamaneni Dhatri and Anusha Reddy, it must have been difficult to bid adieu to loved ones and head to the workplace for the daily grind after basking in the festive fervour of Diwali holidays. But little did they know that it would be their final farewell.
The two, unrelated to each other yet united in death, were among the 20 people who were killed in the tragic bus fire in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool in the wee hours of Friday (October 24).
The incident, which left several families shattered, has also plunged the families of two IT professionals into profound grief.
- 24 Oct 2025 5:15 PM IST
Kurnool bus fire: Woman killed with son after Deepavali visit to daughter
They spent a joyful Deepavali just a few days ago, but did not know that it would be their last celebration. A woman and her son were on board the ill-fated sleeper bus that caught fire while travelling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru in the wee hours of Friday (October 24).
Both perished in the tragedy that took place on National Highway 44 near Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh, leaving their family in an eternal darkness.
Padma, a resident of Patancheru in Hyderabad, has been crying inconsolably ever since learning the tragic end her mother and brother met. The deceased duo, Philomenon Baby and Kishore Kumar, had visited her from Bengaluru for the festival of light and now, Padma is regretting that they should have never come.
- 24 Oct 2025 5:13 PM IST
Kurnool bus fire: Deluxe vehicle had 16 traffic violations, say cops
The bus that was reduced to a skeleton in the tragic fire accident on Friday (October 24) morning had violated traffic rules and been fined for over-speeding and dangerous driving. Preliminary investigations revealed that at least 16 traffic violation-related challans had been issued against the vehicle.
Despite these violations, the bus held a valid tourist permit until April 30, 2030, a fitness certificate valid until March 31, 2027, and insurance coverage until April 20, 2026, according to the transport officials.
The officials also stated that the bus was considered to be in "roadworthy condition" at the time of the incident.
