At least 25 passengers were killed and several others injured when a private sleeper bus travelling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru caught fire near Chinnatekur village on the outskirts of Kurnool in the early hours of Friday.
According to Kurnool police, the bus collided with a motorbike coming from the opposite direction around 3.30 a.m., triggering an explosion that set the vehicle ablaze. The bus was carrying around 40 passengers.
“The impact caused the diesel tank to burst, and the flames spread within seconds,” said a police officer at the scene as reported by The Hindu. “Most passengers were asleep when the fire broke out, and several were trapped before they could reach the exit.”
Rescue and relief efforts
Fire and police teams reached the spot soon after receiving calls from locals. The blaze was brought under control, but the vehicle was completely gutted. Several passengers managed to escape through the emergency exit with injuries.
District Collector G. Rajat Reddy told The Hindu that control rooms have been set up in Kurnool and Hyderabad to help families trace their relatives. The injured were taken to Kurnool Government General Hospital for treatment.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed grief over the incident and instructed officials to ensure immediate assistance. “It’s a tragic loss of lives. Relief operations must continue on a war footing,” his office said in a statement.
Eyewitnesses said the fire engulfed the bus within moments of impact. “We heard a loud sound and saw flames spreading from the front of the bus. The heat was unbearable,” said Ramesh Reddy, a resident of Chinnatekur who helped rescue survivors.
Police said efforts are on to identify the victims. Preliminary information suggests the motorbike rider also died on the spot.
