Kurnool bus fire: Forensic team reaches site, admin sets up control rooms

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A forensic team on Friday morning rushed to the site on the National Highway 44 in Andhra Pradesh's Kurnool district, where at least 20 people died and several sustained injuries after a bus caught fire following a collision with a motorcycle.

The forensic team began a detailed inspection of the vehicle and experts are collecting evidence to determine the exact cause of the fire and the sequence of events leading up to the incident.

The Bangalore-bound bus carrying 41 passengers caught fire, in Chinnatekur in Kallur mandal of Kurnool, after the motorcycle got stuck under the bus and was engulfed in flames after petrol leaked from its ruptured fuel tank. 

According to Kurnool District Collector A Siri, there were 41 passengers on the ill-fated bus, including two drivers. A total of 21 passengers have been traced and the District Collector said they are safe. "11 dead bodies have been removed from the bus. 21 members have minor injuries and are undergoing treatment. We have to confirm about the remaining 9 bodies," the official said.

The District Collector said that the bus doors failed to open after the accident. However, the offical said that the two drivers managed to escape from the fire.

Most passengers who boarded the bus from Hyderabad were asleep at the time of the fire. One passenger, Jayant, woke up around 2:30 am to find he and the others were trapped inside as flames leapt through and the doors of the vehicle remained locked. He recounted that he, along with some others broke the emergency exit windows to escape from the bus.

Meanwhile, district authorities have set up a control room. Kurnool District Collector (DC) A Siri encouraged the affected families to contact the authorities.

The contact details for the control room in the Collectorate are 08518-277305. The injured have been shifted to Kurnool Government Hospital for treatment, and the contact details for the control room set up there are 9121101059.

"The number for the control room at the scene of the incident is 9121101061. Kurnool Police Office Control Room No. 9121101075. Kurnool Government General Hospital Help Desk Numbers: 9494609814, 9052951010," the local administration said.

Telangana Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar Goud today issued a stern warning that "unfit buses" which flout the rules set by the government would be seized, and added that there was no playing with the lives of citizens.

"We have directed the transport authorities to seize any unfit buses to eliminate potential threats to life. We direct the transport people that buses will be seized if they don't comply with the rules. There is no playing with the lives of citizens," Telangana Transport Minister Goud told ANI.

"This incident happened late at night, and the passengers were sleeping. The bus wires were cut after the accident, and the bus doors didn't open after the accident. We're investigating the matter. The two drivers escaped from the fire. The passengers were coming from Hyderabad, and we're tracing the deceased family members. We've set up a control room for help," DC Siri said.

A fire official pointed out that there were no safety hammers to break the glass after the accident.

"The bus collided with a bike, dragged it and caused the bike's petrol to leak, which led to a fire. There were no safety hammers to break glass after the fire accident. The bus driver didn't stop after the collision with the bike. The bus' diesel tank didn't catch fire, but the bus was totally damaged. We're investigating the matter," the official said.

President Droupadi Murmu called the incident "unfortunate". "I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members and pray for the speedy recovery of those injured," she said in a post on X.