A shocking twist has emerged in the Kurnool bus fire tragedy that claimed 19 lives. Forensic experts now believe that exploding smartphone batteries may have intensified the blaze.
234 Smartphones Found Inside the Bus
Investigators found a consignment of 234 smartphones inside the bus. The phones, worth Rs 46 lakh, were being transported from Hyderabad to Bengaluru. A businessman named Manganath had shipped them to Flipkart’s Bengaluru warehouse for distribution.
Eyewitnesses told officials they heard several explosions during the fire. Experts suspect the sounds came from the lithium batteries inside the smartphones as they caught fire.
Experts Suspect Batteries Intensified the Blaze
P. Venkataraman, Director-General of Andhra Pradesh Fire Services, said the fire became more severe due to multiple explosions inside the bus. “In addition to the smartphones’ explosion, the electrical batteries used for the air conditioning system of the bus also burst,” he said.
He added that the heat was so intense it melted the aluminum sheets on the bus floor.
Blaze Likely Started Due to Fuel Leakage
According to Venkataraman, the fire likely started in the front portion of the bus due to a fuel leak. A bike got stuck under the bus, and petrol splattered across the area. A spark or heat source then triggered the fire, which spread rapidly through the vehicle.
He also made a grim revelation: “We saw bones and ash dropping through the melted sheets,” he said, describing the devastating scene.
Bus Design Flaw Made Fire Worse
Officials say the bus’s lightweight aluminum structure contributed to the tragedy. The use of aluminum instead of iron, meant to make the bus lighter and faster, worsened the situation. The material melted easily under high heat, allowing the fire to spread faster and causing catastrophic damage.
Authorities continue to investigate the sequence of events and the exact cause of the explosion.
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