Andhra Pradesh: Deadly bus blaze claims 11 lives, raises safety alarms

A grim pall of tragedy hung over Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district on Friday, 24 October, as a horrific bus accident claimed 11 lives and left several others injured, transforming what should have been a routine overnight journey from Bengaluru to Hyderabad into a night of unspeakable horror.

The private Volvo bus, carrying around 40 passengers, met its fiery fate near Chinna Tekur village in Kallur mandal after a collision. In an instant, flames engulfed the vehicle, trapping passengers in a fiery tomb. Only twelve managed to escape through the emergency exit with minor injuries, while the rest were unable to flee before the bus was completely consumed by the blaze.

The tragedy drew swift attention from India’s highest offices. President Droupadi Murmu described the incident as “deeply unfortunate,” offering condolences to the bereaved families and praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. Vice-president C.P. Radhakrishnan echoed her grief, calling the accident “deeply saddening” and extending prayers to the victims.

“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,” Murmu posted on X, echoing the nation’s collective anguish.

Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed profound shock, calling the fire “devastating,” and assured that the government would provide all possible support to the affected families. Former chief minister and YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy also condemned the calamity, urging immediate medical aid and assistance for the victims.

State transport minister Mandipalli Ramprasad Reddy rushed to the scene, visibly shaken by the scale of the disaster. “The loss of so many lives is truly heartbreaking,” he said, directing officials to shift the injured to Kurnool Hospital and ensure the best medical care. Emergency and rescue teams labored through the night to contain the flames, recover victims, and provide relief to those affected.

The Kurnool tragedy follows a hauntingly similar incident just days earlier. On 15 October, a bus traveling from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur caught fire near Thaiyat village, claiming 20 lives — including three children — and critically injuring 16 others. Nineteen charred bodies were recovered from the wreckage, with one elderly passenger, 75-year-old Hussain Khan, succumbing to injuries during treatment.

These successive disasters have once again cast a harsh light on road and vehicle safety across India, prompting renewed calls for stricter transport regulations, rigorous safety checks, and improved emergency response mechanisms.

As the smouldering wreckage in Kurnool stood as a grim reminder of human fragility and the perils of the road, condolences and messages of support poured in from across the nation, joining together in collective grief and a plea for safer journeys ahead.

With agency inputs