At least 25 killed as bus catches fire in India

Darwin, October 25 — At least 25 people were killed in a horrific road accident in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh on Friday. The tragedy occurred early in the morning near Kurnool district when a passenger bus caught fire after colliding with a motorcycle.

According to a report by Qatar-based news outlet Al Jazeera, the bus was traveling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru when the accident took place near Chinnatekur village in Kurnool district. Citing police sources, the Associated Press (AP) reported that the motorcycle rammed into the rear of the bus and got stuck underneath it.

As the bus dragged the motorcycle along, friction caused sparks that quickly ignited the bus’s fuel tank.

“When smoke began to spread, the driver stopped the bus and tried to extinguish the flames using a fire extinguisher, but the fire spread so rapidly that he couldn’t do anything,” said Kurnool’s senior police officer, Vikrant Patil.

Within minutes, the entire bus was engulfed in flames. Many passengers were asleep at the time, and most of them died in the fire, Patil added.

Eighteen passengers managed to escape by breaking the windows. They were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. Reports indicate that there were 44 passengers on board, and the motorcyclist was also killed on the spot.

Firefighters and rescue teams arrived shortly after the incident and brought the blaze under control. A forensic team has started investigating the cause of the fire.

Kurnool is located about 210 kilometers south of Hyderabad.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy. They conveyed their condolences to the families of the deceased and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

This marks India’s second major bus fire in the past two weeks. Earlier this month, at least 20 people were killed in Rajasthan when another passenger bus caught fire due to an electrical short circuit.