Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh), Oct 24 – A tragic fire incident occurred in Kurnool district on Friday, claiming the lives of 20 passengers aboard a private bus bound for Bengaluru. The bus caught fire around 3 AM following a collision with a motorcycle, resulting in many passengers, who were asleep at the time, perishing without warning. The intense blaze completely consumed the sleeper bus, leaving it as a mere metal shell.

Survivors of the incident recounted harrowing experiences as they escaped the flames, despite suffering from broken limbs and other minor injuries. The private bus, which was traveling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru, was carrying 41 individuals, including the driver. According to Kurnool District Collector A Siri, 21 passengers have been accounted for, while the remaining individuals are still being traced.

One survivor, S Harika from Nellore, described waking up to flames engulfing the bus. “The rear door was broken by a passenger for escaping, and we all jumped out from it. I suffered a minor injury on the forehead,” she stated. Harika, an IT employee, is currently under observation in a hospital but reported that her condition is stable. She was en route to Bengaluru for personal reasons.

Another survivor, Surya from Hyderabad, shared that the fire erupted around 2:45 AM as he was heading to a job interview at a top IT firm. “My legs are fractured because I jumped from over 15 feet height. The doctor said I will be fine soon,” he mentioned. Surya, along with fellow passenger Naveen, managed to escape the bus and is now receiving treatment.

Passengers who managed to escape did so by breaking windows and jumping out of the burning vehicle. One passenger undergoing treatment reported that the loud noise of the fire woke him up instantly, and he was met with thick smoke inside the bus.

Collector A Siri confirmed that many passengers could not escape due to the timing of the incident, which occurred during the night when most were asleep. She noted that the bus door failed to open immediately due to severed wires, exacerbating the tragedy. Most of the passengers were from Hyderabad, as per her statement.