Kurnool bus fire leaves 20 dead: People perish in sleep, fully charred

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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