India bus fire explained: How a midnight collision in Andhra Pradesh's Kurnool turned deadly

A late-night collision between a private bus and a motorcycle on Andhra Pradesh’s National Highway 44 turned into a deadly inferno early Friday, killing at least 25 passengers and injuring many others. The Volvo bus, travelling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru, was engulfed in flames within minutes — a tragedy that has raised serious questions about passenger safety, emergency systems, and vehicle fitness.

Around 3:00–3:10am on Friday, a private Volvo bus belonging to VKaveri Travels was travelling south toward Bengaluru with 41 passengers on board, including two drivers. Near Chinnatekur village in Kurnool district, a motorcycle collided with the bus and got stuck underneath it. Sparks from the dragged bike and leaking petrol are believed to have triggered a fire that spread rapidly through the vehicle.

Officials said the bus was carrying 41 people — 39 passengers and two drivers. At least 25 were killed, most of them burnt beyond recognition, while others managed to escape. Survivors broke emergency exit windows or smashed glass panels to jump to safety. Most passengers were asleep when the collision occurred.

Police identified the deceased motorcyclist as Shiva Shankar, 20, a resident of Kurnool town. He died on the spot when his two-wheeler became lodged under the bus and caught fire.

Investigators said sparks generated as the motorcycle was dragged for several hundred metres likely ignited leaking fuel. Deputy Inspector General of Police Koya Praveen confirmed that the bus’s own diesel tank did not explode. However, the materials beneath the vehicle — believed to be highly combustible — helped the flames spread rapidly from the bike to the bus body.

Fire officials said the bus lacked basic safety equipment. There were no safety hammers for passengers to break windows, and the main door jammed soon after the fire started. Survivors recounted that the doors failed to open and that the drivers were not immediately located. One survivor, Jayant, said he and a few others broke the rear window to escape after hearing passengers scream “fire.”

The bus, registered in Odisha and operated by VKaveri Travels, began its journey from Hyderabad at 10:30pm and was nearing Kurnool when the crash occurred. Authorities are still determining whether the bike rammed into the bus or vice versa. The two drivers — one of whom has been traced — reportedly escaped unhurt. Forensic teams have been deployed to collect evidence and reconstruct the sequence of events.

Many of the bodies were charred beyond recognition, prompting officials to order DNA tests. The deceased include passengers from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh. Thirteen ambulances were sent from Hyderabad to Kurnool to help transport bodies and survivors.

Control rooms have been set up by the Kurnool District Collector’s office and at the local hospital to assist families of victims. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy have directed officials to coordinate relief. President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and several ministers expressed condolences.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs200,000 each from the PM’s National Relief Fund for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs50,000 for the injured. State governments have also assured assistance to families and survivors.

Telangana Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar Goud issued a stern warning after the tragedy, saying all “unfit buses” that flout safety norms would be seized. “There is no playing with the lives of citizens,” he said, adding that Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka transport departments would jointly review regulations to prevent such accidents.

A forensic team is examining the gutted vehicle to establish the exact cause and sequence of the fire. DNA testing is under way to identify victims, while police have detained one driver and are locating the other. Preliminary findings point to a combination of factors — the collision, sparks, fuel leakage, and poor safety equipment — that turned a routine overnight journey into one of the year’s deadliest bus fires.

With inputs from AP, ANI, IANS