Deadly Bus Fire in Andhra Pradesh: Driver Fled as 20 People Perished in Kurnool Accident

19 people on the bus and a motorcycle rider lost their lives in the tragic incident.

According to a senior police official who spoke to NDTV, the driver of the bus that caught fire in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh early Friday morning had initially stopped to assess the situation but panicked and fled instead of assisting passengers trapped inside the burning vehicle. The fire claimed the lives of 19 of the 43 bus passengers, as well as a motorcyclist who was struck by the bus before the fire erupted.

The accident occurred around 3 am Friday when the AC sleeper bus traveling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru collided with a motorcycle in Kurnool. The motorcycle became lodged under the bus and was dragged along, creating friction that generated sparks believed to have ignited the deadly fire.

NDTV visited the accident site and interviewed survivors who described their desperate escape. With the main door jammed, passengers resorted to punching, kicking, and even headbutting windows to break free from the burning vehicle.

One survivor recounted, "When the bus stopped, I woke up and saw there had been an accident and parts of the vehicle had caught fire. We punched the window, kicked it, pushed it and headbutted it. By the time we managed to get it open, there was a lot of smoke. We jumped from a fair height and noticed that some passengers were lying unconscious on the road as well. We dragged them away from the bus."

"At least 10 people escaped through the back window and five from the side," the passenger added.

Kurnool Superintendent of Police Vikrant Patil confirmed that while the second driver helped passengers escape, the main driver who caused the accident fled the scene.

"As of now, we know a two-wheeler came under the bus. The driver got down to see what happened. He saw the fire had started and he woke the other driver and they tried to put out the fire together. After the fire spread, the main driver ran in panic. The second driver helped break the windows, as did local residents. They helped passengers get out. We have recovered 19 bodies of people who were on the bus and the body of the two-wheeler rider," Patil explained.

Authorities have since arrested the main driver.

Forensic teams arrived at the scene to collect evidence and samples from the completely charred bus. DNA samples are being gathered to identify the victims, and officials have established a help desk at the accident site.

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan indicated that preliminary investigations suggest the bus's fuel tank exploded because the motorcycle became lodged near it.

Andhra Pradesh Transport Minister Ramprasad Reddy expressed condolences and stated that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has directed the administration to take necessary measures. "Our government stands with the families of those who lost their lives in the tragedy... We have announced Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh each to the injured. Over 16 teams have been mobilised."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh for each bereaved family and Rs 50,000 for each injured person.