At least 20 people have lost their lives in a tragic accident involving a private Volvo bus traveling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru, which caught fire after colliding with a two-wheeler near Chinnatekuru village in Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, in the early hours of Friday. The bus, carrying approximately 42 passengers, was engulfed in flames within minutes after the collision on National Highway 44, leaving several others injured and feared dead inside the blaze.​

The accident occurred around 3:30 am when the bus hit the bike, which got trapped under the vehicles belly. This caused sparks that ignited the fire quickly. The bus passengers, many of whom were asleep, faced extreme difficulty in escaping the rapidly spreading fire. Several managed to break windows to escape; however, the bus doors reportedly jammed during the fire, trapping many inside. The driver reportedly fled the scene following the crash.​

Rescue teams arrived promptly but were hampered by heavy rainfall in the area, complicating firefighting and medical assistance efforts. Survivors, around 12, sustained varying degrees of burn injuries and were admitted to local hospitals. Authorities are still searching for unaccounted passengers and identifying victims, many of whom were severely burned, making identification challenging.​

Officials have launched investigations into the cause, with forensic teams examining the vehicle. Early findings suggest that while the fire was triggered by the collision, combustible materials inside the bus amplified the blaze. Notably, the buss fuel tank remained intact, and it appears safety measures to prevent or control such incidents were insufficient.​

This devastating incident is similar in nature to a recent bus fire in Rajasthan that killed 22 people, highlighting ongoing safety concerns related to bus travel in India. The Andhra Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, has expressed deep sorrow, promised full support to the victims families and injured, and ordered a comprehensive inquiry into the condition and regulation compliance of buses operating on this route.​ The incident underscores the urgent need for enhanced safety protocols, better vehicle maintenance, and stricter enforcement of regulations on passenger transport vehicles to prevent such horrifying tragedies in the future.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from NDTV.