At Least 20 Burnt Alive as Bus Catches Fire on Hyderabad–Bengaluru Highway

National News: A horrific road accident took place in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh in the early hours of Friday, in which at least 20 people died. The accident occurred when a private bus of Kaveri Travels, traveling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru, collided with a bike near Chinna Tekuru village. Moments after the collision, a massive fire broke out in the bus, which engulfed the entire vehicle.

More than 40 passengers boarded; many burnt on the spot

There were more than 40 people in the bus. According to eyewitnesses, the fire was so intense that the bus burnt to ashes within a few minutes. District Collector Dr. Siri said that 21 bodies have been recovered so far. Of these, 11 have been identified, while 9 are yet to be identified. He said that after the accident, the door of the bus got jammed, due to which the passengers did not get a chance to get out.

Life Saved by Breaking Windows

After the fire, some passengers broke the windows of the bus to save their lives. About 12 passengers somehow managed to get out, although many of them suffered serious burns. The remaining passengers were trapped in the flames and died on the spot. Relief and rescue operations continued for several hours.

Cause of fire and negligence in bus safety

According to DIG Koya Praveen, the fire broke out after the collision with the bike, and the flammable material present inside the bus further increased the flames. He said the fuel tank of the bus remained safe, but the vehicle did not have adequate safety measures to prevent fire. Due to this negligence, such a large number of people lost their lives.

Administration and Chief Minister's reaction

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep sorrow over the accident and expressed condolences to the families of the deceased. He directed the officials to provide immediate medical aid and relief money to the injured. Naidu said that the culprits will be identified and strict action will be taken so that such incidents can be prevented in the future.

Second major bus accident in recent times

This accident happened just a few days after the massive bus fire on the Jaisalmer-Jodhpur road in Rajasthan. 22 people died in that accident on October 14, which included three children. Investigation revealed that the fire was caused by a short circuit in the AC system of the bus. Forensic and transport department teams later confirmed this technical fault.

Investigation ongoing; final toll pending confirmation

The fire department and police said the final death toll could be confirmed only after the bus is completely cooled and the debris is removed. The accident caused chaos in the area, and road traffic was disrupted for several hours.