The death toll in the bus fire near Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, rose to 19 on Friday. The V-Kaveri Travels bus, travelling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru, caught fire in the early hours following an accident with a motorbike, which reportedly ignited the vehicle’s fuel tank.
Andhra Pradesh Transport Minister Mandipalli Ramprasad Reddy confirmed the death toll, stating, “19 people lost their lives in this incident. 27 people were rescued. We have announced Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh each to the injured. Our 16 teams are mobilised over this incident.”
The Kurnool District Collectorate reported that the mishap occurred around 3 am. Of the 41 passengers on board, 21 people managed to escape. Vikrant Patel, Superintendent of Police (SP), Kurnool, said, “We have started removing the bodies… Teams are here to collect DNA.”
Describing the harrowing moments, Patel added, “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.”
The bus had departed Patancheru, Hyderabad, at 8.30 pm and picked up passengers from various locations across the city before heading onto the highway. Most of those on board were employed in Bengaluru and had been returning home after celebrating Diwali in Hyderabad.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the incident, offering support to the families of the deceased. The PM’s Office said in a post on X, “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.”
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who is on an official visit to Dubai, was briefed on the accident. He instructed senior officials to rush to the site and oversee rescue and relief operations, ensuring full medical support for the injured.
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy also took swift action. He held a meeting with Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao and DGP B Shivdhar Reddy, directing all necessary steps to assist survivors and families of the deceased. He further instructed Genco CMD Dr S Harish, as well as local authorities from Gadwal, to provide support at the site.
Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSRCP president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed deep shock over the tragedy. In a statement, he said, “The incident is extremely distressing and has deeply shaken me. My heartfelt condolences go out to the families of those who lost their lives. I urge the government to extend generous financial assistance and ensure the best possible medical care for the injured.”
