Kurnool bus fire: Death toll rises to 20, DNA samples collected for identification
Kurnool bus fire: Death toll rises to 20, DNA samples collected for identification
M.U.H
24/10/202529
The death toll has gone up to 20 after a private bus on its way from Hyderabad to Bengaluru caught fire on the outskirts of Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh in the early hours of Friday. Police said the incident occurred after the fuel tank of the bus caught fire following an accident involving a motorbike.
According to the Kurnool District Collectorate, the incident occurred around 3 am. There were 41 passengers on board the V-Kaveri Travels bus. Of these, 21 passengers escaped unharmed, officials said.
“We have started removing the bodies… Teams are here to collect DNA,” Vikrant Patel, Superintendent of Police (SP), Kurnool, said.
“The driver said that after the accident, he noticed the fire and woke up the second driver. They thought it was a small fire and tried to put it out with water bottles. Some passengers who woke up escaped and helped to break the windows with the help of other people passing on the highway. They helped many to jump out, but unfortunately, many could not be saved,” Patel added.
The bus departed at 8.30 pm from Patancheru in Hyderabad and picked up passengers from various locations in the city before heading on to the highway. Most of the passengers were employed in Bengaluru and were returning after celebrating Diwali at their homes in Hyderabad.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who is currently on an official visit to Dubai, expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss of lives in the Kurnool bus fire incident.
“Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a mishap in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. My thoughts are with the affected people and their families during this difficult time. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a post on X.
Officials briefed Naidu on the accident, following which he spoke to the chief secretary to assess the situation. He directed senior officials to rush to the accident site and oversee the rescue and relief operations, and also instructed authorities to provide all necessary medical support and assistance to the injured passengers.
Meanwhile, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy held a meeting with Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao and Director General of Police B Shivdhar Reddy and directed that all necessary steps be taken to help the survivors and families and relatives of the deceased.
Reddy also directed Genco CMD Dr S Harish to rush to the accident site to provide necessary assistance to the affected families. He suggested that the district collector and SP of Gadwal which is closest to the mishap spot should go there and should be supportive of the affected families.
Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSRCP president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy also expressed deep shock and grief over the Kurnool accident. In a statement, he said the incident was extremely distressing and had deeply shaken him. He also conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the horrific accident.
Reddy urged the government to extend generous financial assistance and support to the bereaved families. He also appealed to the authorities to ensure the best possible medical care for the injured passengers undergoing treatment in hospitals.
This is the second such bus fire on the Hyderabad-Bengaluru route. On October 30, 2013, 45 people on board a private bus from Bengaluru to Hyderabad died after their bus caught fire some 140 km away from Hyderabad, near Palem in Mahabubnagar district. Investigations revealed that the fire started inside the cabin near the driver’s seat.
