SRINAGAR: At least 20 people were killed early Friday after a private Kaveri Travels bus caught fire following a collision with a motorcycle at Chinna Tekuru village in Kurnool district, as per several national media reports.
The bus, carrying over 40 passengers from Hyderabad to Bengaluru, went up in flames moments after the impact. Officials said 11 bodies had so far been recovered from the charred vehicle, while search and cooling operations continued through the morning.
District Medical Officer Dr Siri, as per Times of India, confirmed that 21 passengers had been traced, with 11 bodies identified and nine yet to be identified. She noted that the bus door had jammed during the fire, preventing many from escaping.
DIG Koya Praveen stated that while the collision triggered the blaze, combustible materials inside the bus fuelled the inferno. He added that the fuel tank remained intact but criticised the vehicle’s lack of adequate fire-safety measures.
Eyewitnesses and rescue personnel said the blaze engulfed the bus within minutes, trapping several passengers inside. Twelve people managed to escape through windows, many suffering severe burns.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed condolences to the victims’ families and directed officials to ensure immediate relief and medical care for the injured.
The tragedy comes less than two weeks after a similar incident in Rajasthan, where 22 people, including three children, died when a Jaisalmer–Jodhpur bus caught fire near Thaiyat village on 14 October. Investigations later confirmed that a short circuit in the air-conditioning system had triggered that blaze.
