Kurnool Bus Fire LIVE: Telangana Minister Orders Seizure of ‘Unfit’ Buses; 11 Bodies Identified

A private bus that was heading to Bengaluru caught fire during the night on Friday close to Chinnatekuru village, Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh. The fire led to the death of at least 20 people. The bus that was en route to Bengaluru, after traveling from Hyderabad, had a collision with a motorcycle and the latter got stuck under the bus which went on to hit the fuel tank causing a large fire that spread all over the bus.

Accident Details

The private Volvo bus had nearly 40 passengers on board; 2 kids and 2 drivers among them. The first information coming in was that the fire broke out in the front of the bus and spread rapidly to the back. 19 of the passengers escaped through the windows by breaking the glasses and they got minor injuries, while the other ones were a bit more hurt. Reportedly, both the bus drivers came out of the accident clutching a life.

Casualties and Identification

Currently, the death toll has reached 20. The authorities have been able to identify only 11 corpses so far and the process of rescue and identification is still ongoing. The Kurnool District Police along with local authorities are working with hospitals to make sure that the injured people get proper medical help.

Official Response

Telangana Transport Minister: The minister has taken the decision to stop the operation of all buses declared "unfit for plying" by the agency.

Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N. Chandrababu Naidu: He interacted with the state officials telephonically from Dubai and, while expressing sorrow over the accident, he ordered the provision of best medical care to the injured and he also demanded rapid identification and handover of the victims' bodies to families. A full investigation has been ordered.

Kurnool SP Vikrant Patil: He said that the bus collided with a motorcycle at around 3:30 AM when it was traveling on NH 44, which resulted in the fire. Among the 39 passengers, 19 escaped without injury while the rest got minor injuries.

Bus Violations

The police reports suggest that the bus (registration DD01N9490) had 16 pending fines for traffic violations, some of which were overspeeding, driving without a license, and unauthorized entry. The authorities are probing into the matter whether these factors played a role in the tragedy or not.

Next Steps

Authorities have put forth the following measures:

• The immediate seizure of buses unfit for the road in the area
• A full investigation into the compliance of bus operator with safety regulations and road safety
• Support and compensation for the affected families
• The incident has again opened up the discussion about the safety of private buses on long-distance routes in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

LIVE Updates Timeline

12:17 IST: Telangana Minister announces seizure of unfit buses

11:28 IST: CM Chandrababu Naidu teleconferences; gives orders for proper medical care and relief

11:19 IST: 20 confirmed deaths

10:31 IST: Bus had 16 pending fines for traffic violations

09:44 IST: SP Vikrant Patil gives first account; 19 passengers survive

09:40 IST: Incident takes place near NH 44; driver escapes