In a tragic road accident, more than 20 individuals are believed to have lost their lives after a private bus caught fire following a collision with a two-wheeler near Chinna Tekuru village. (Image Source: X.com/ANI)
In a tragic road accident, more than 20 individuals are believed to have lost their lives after a private bus caught fire following a collision with a two-wheeler near Chinna Tekuru village in Andhra Pradesh's Kurnool district on Friday. The Hyderabad–Bengaluru route bus, which had approximately 40 people on board, caught fire just after the accident.
Kurnool District Collector Dr. Siri confirmed that 21 people have been traced in the tragic bus fire.
21 people have been traced so far, according to Kurnool District Collector Dr. Siri. 11 bodies were identified, and 9 were unknown. She also said the bus door became stuck, and passengers could not evacuate when the fire engulfed everything quickly.
DIG Koya Praveen explained that while the crash with the cycle ignited the fire, combustible items within the vehicle escalated the inferno. He also explained that the bus did not have necessary fire-safety features, although the fuel tank was intact.
Twelve passengers could escape through shattered windows, but many of them suffered major burn injuries. Firefighters fought the blaze for several hours, and authorities stated the final death toll will be determined once cooling operations are over.
President of India Droupadi Murmu was shocked at the deaths in the devastating bus fire accident in Kurnool.
The deaths in a tragic bus fire accident in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, are unfortunate. My deepest condolences to the bereaved family members and wishes for the early recovery of the injured," said President Droupadi Murmu in a tweet.
The Kurnool mishap follows a similar tragedy in Rajasthan earlier this month, where 22 people, including three children, died when a Jaisalmer–Jodhpur bus caught fire near Thaiyat village. Investigations later revealed that a short circuit in the air conditioning system triggered the blaze.
