A horrifying late-night tragedy strikes Andhra Pradesh as a Kaveri Travels sleeper bus bursts into flames following a collision with a motorcycle — exposing grim gaps in India’s highway safety and emergency response.
Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh (Economy India): A routine overnight journey turned into a nightmare on Friday when a private sleeper bus traveling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru caught fire after colliding with a motorcycle on National Highway 44 (NH-44) near Chinnatekuru village, Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. The devastating blaze claimed at least 20 lives and left several others with severe burn injuries.
According to preliminary reports, the fire broke out around 3:30 a.m., when the Kaveri Travels bus rammed into a motorcycle. The bike became lodged under the fuel tank, triggering an explosion that engulfed the vehicle in flames within moments.
What followed was sheer horror — the inferno consumed the bus so rapidly that several passengers had no time to react. While 19 passengers managed to escape by breaking windows and jumping out, 20 others were trapped inside, burned beyond recognition.
Fire Turns Sleeper Coach Into Death Trap
The bus was carrying around 40 passengers, many of whom were asleep when the accident occurred. Survivors recounted harrowing scenes of panic, smoke, and desperate cries for help as flames spread uncontrollably.
“The fire spread within seconds; we couldn’t even see anything inside. People were screaming and trying to break windows,” said a survivor admitted at Kurnool Government General Hospital (GGH).
Several passengers who jumped from the moving bus sustained fractures and burns. The driver and cleaner of the bus remain missing, raising questions about whether they fled the scene or were among the victims.
Authorities Rush to the Scene
Upon receiving the distress call, fire and rescue teams, along with local police, rushed to the spot and battled the flames for nearly two hours before bringing the situation under control. However, the bus had already been reduced to a burnt shell.
Kurnool Range DIG Koya Praveen confirmed that 21 passengers, including two children, survived. Many of the deceased were charred beyond recognition, making identification extremely difficult.
The district administration has dispatched forensic teams to collect DNA samples from family members of the missing passengers to aid identification.
Kurnool Collector Issues Helpline Numbers
Kurnool Collector Dr. A. Siri, who visited the accident site, said that immediate relief operations were underway. Helpline numbers have been issued for families to obtain information:
- District Collectorate Control Room: 08518-277305
- Kurnool Government Hospital: 9121101059
- Spot Control Room: 9121101061
- Police Control Room: 9121101075
- GGH Help Desk: 9494609814 / 9052951010
The administration has also coordinated with Kaveri Travels to provide a passenger manifest and assist with the identification process.
PM Modi Condoles Loss, Announces Ex-Gratia
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep grief over the tragedy, calling it “heart-wrenching” and extended condolences to the bereaved families.
“The accident in Kurnool is deeply saddening. My thoughts are with the families who lost their loved ones. Prayers for the injured,” the Prime Minister posted on X (formerly Twitter).
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has announced ₹2 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased and ₹50,000 for those injured under the PMNRF (Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund).
Rain and Darkness Hampered Rescue Operations
The accident occurred amid light rainfall in the Kurnool region, further complicating rescue efforts. Poor visibility and the flammable materials inside the bus allowed the fire to spread faster.
Fire officials said that the bus’s emergency door got jammed due to the short circuit, leaving many passengers trapped inside. Rescue teams had to break open windows and cut through the metal frame to retrieve the bodies.
Witness Accounts Paint a Horrifying Picture
Eyewitnesses traveling behind the bus recorded videos showing massive flames engulfing the vehicle on the highway. The footage went viral on social media within hours.
“We saw the bus ablaze from a distance. It looked like the entire highway was on fire,” said Suresh Reddy, a local resident who helped rescue passengers before the fire services arrived.
Many of the bodies were found in their seats, indicating that the victims had little time to escape before being overcome by the smoke and flames.
Similar Tragedy in Rajasthan Raises Questions on Bus Safety
The Kurnool disaster comes barely ten days after a deadly bus fire in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer, where 22 passengers were burned alive when a sleeper coach caught fire following a collision.
In both cases, fiberglass interiors and synthetic upholstery reportedly caused the flames to spread rapidly, while jammed doors and defective emergency exits prevented timely evacuation.
Experts say these incidents expose glaring loopholes in India’s transport safety framework — particularly the lack of enforcement of fire-safety standards for private bus operators.
Experts Demand National Safety Audit
Following the tragedy, road safety advocates have renewed calls for a comprehensive safety audit of long-distance private buses across India.
“Most private sleeper coaches are modified locally and don’t meet BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) norms. These modifications use flammable materials, making them ticking time bombs,” said a former Ministry of Road Transport official.
The Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR) mandate specific fire-retardant materials for public transport interiors, but compliance remains abysmally low among private operators.
India’s Grim Road Safety Record
India accounts for nearly 11% of global road fatalities, with over 1.5 lakh deaths annually — the highest in the world.
According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, mechanical faults, overspeeding, and driver fatigue are major contributors to such accidents.
However, in recent years, fire-related casualties in long-distance buses have emerged as a worrying trend, particularly in states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
Need for Stronger Regulations and Emergency Preparedness
Transport safety experts are urging the government to:
- Mandate annual fire-safety audits for all commercial passenger vehicles.
- Require installation of automatic fire suppression systems.
- Enforce driver safety training for emergency response.
- Conduct regular vehicle fitness checks for private operators.
They also emphasize public awareness — passengers should be informed about emergency exits and fire extinguisher locations while boarding long-distance coaches.
The Road Ahead
As investigations continue, the Kurnool bus tragedy stands as a grim reminder of the urgent need to overhaul India’s highway transport safety systems.
For the grieving families, no relief can undo the devastation, but for policymakers, this should be a turning point — to ensure that no passenger’s journey ends in such fiery horror again.
(Economy India)
