In a horrific road accident, at least 20 people were killed after a private passenger bus caught fire in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district early October 24. The accident occurred around 3.30 am.
The site of the accident was near Chinna Tekuru village on the Hyderabad–Bengaluru highway, turning what was meant to be a routine overnight journey into a scene of flames and chaos.
According to initial reports, the Volvo bus -- operated by Kaveri Travels -- collided with a motorcycle, sparking an intense blaze that engulfed the vehicle within minutes. The biker was also among the deceased, news agency PTI reported.
Witnesses said the fire spread so rapidly that most passengers were trapped inside before they could react. Twelve people managed to escape, some with burn injuries, while others are believed to have been consumed by the flames.
"About 19 passengers, two children and two drivers survived the mishap," Kurnool Range DIG Koya Praveen told PTI. Most survivors were aged between 25 and 35 years.
Firefighters and rescue teams rushed to the scene, battling to extinguish the blaze and recover the remains. Officials have yet to release a confirmed death toll, but the scale of the destruction suggests a high number of casualties.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF to be given to the next of kin of each deceased. A compensation of Rs 50,000 would be given to the injured.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed his condolences to the families of those killed and directed district authorities to ensure swift relief measures and medical assistance for survivors. “It is a deeply tragic incident,” he said, adding that an inquiry will be conducted to determine the cause and lapses, if any.
The two incidents, occurring within days of each other, have renewed concerns over passenger safety and the maintenance standards of private transport operators. Many long-distance private buses in India operate on thin margins, often compromising on regular inspections and safety checks.
As rescue operations continue in Kurnool, officials say they are working to identify the victims and contact families of the deceased. The charred shell of the bus has been cordoned off by police.
The site of the accident was near Chinna Tekuru village on the Hyderabad–Bengaluru highway, turning what was meant to be a routine overnight journey into a scene of flames and chaos.
According to initial reports, the Volvo bus -- operated by Kaveri Travels -- collided with a motorcycle, sparking an intense blaze that engulfed the vehicle within minutes. The biker was also among the deceased, news agency PTI reported.
Witnesses said the fire spread so rapidly that most passengers were trapped inside before they could react. Twelve people managed to escape, some with burn injuries, while others are believed to have been consumed by the flames.
"About 19 passengers, two children and two drivers survived the mishap," Kurnool Range DIG Koya Praveen told PTI. Most survivors were aged between 25 and 35 years.
Firefighters and rescue teams rushed to the scene, battling to extinguish the blaze and recover the remains. Officials have yet to release a confirmed death toll, but the scale of the destruction suggests a high number of casualties.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF to be given to the next of kin of each deceased. A compensation of Rs 50,000 would be given to the injured.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed his condolences to the families of those killed and directed district authorities to ensure swift relief measures and medical assistance for survivors. “It is a deeply tragic incident,” he said, adding that an inquiry will be conducted to determine the cause and lapses, if any.
The Kurnool disaster comes barely a week after another deadly bus fire in Rajasthan that claimed 22 lives, including those of three children. In that case, a bus travelling from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur caught fire near Thaiyat village on October 14. Investigations suggested that a suspected short circuit in the vehicle’s air-conditioning system, which caused a gas leak, had triggered the inferno.VIDEO | Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh: A bus travelling from Bengaluru to Hyderabad caught fire near Kurnool district; several lives are feared lost. Rescue operations are underway. More details are awaited.#Kurnool #AndhraPradesh #BusAccident
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 24, 2025
(Source - Third party)
(Full video… pic.twitter.com/xLJz2cOqV6
The two incidents, occurring within days of each other, have renewed concerns over passenger safety and the maintenance standards of private transport operators. Many long-distance private buses in India operate on thin margins, often compromising on regular inspections and safety checks.
As rescue operations continue in Kurnool, officials say they are working to identify the victims and contact families of the deceased. The charred shell of the bus has been cordoned off by police.
PTI said there were about 40 persons in the bus when the motorcycle collided with it and got dragged underneath with its fuel cap open, triggering the fire. The bus door got jammed due to a short circuit and the vehicle was completely gutted within minutes.The loss of lives in a tragic bus fire accident in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh is deeply unfortunate. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members and pray for the speedy recovery of those injured.
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) October 24, 2025
You may also like
'Justin loves how easily Katy Perry fits in with family': Trudeau's kids 'smitten' with 'Roar' singer; are wedding bells next?
'My postman left something odd on my doorstep and then ran away'
Ghost village where everyone forced to leave overnight and heartbreaking note pinned to church
Andhra govt announces ex-gratia for kin of Kurnool bus fire victims
Badoni To Turn Out For Delhi's Clash Against Himachal Pradesh In Ranji Trophy
