A horrific road tragedy struck Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district in the early hours of Friday when a Volvo bus traveling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru caught fire after colliding with a two-wheeler, killing at least 12 passengers and injuring several others. The bus, operated by Kaveri Travels, was carrying around 40 people when the accident occurred near Ullindakonda village on National Highway 44 (NH-44) around 3:30 a.m.
According to preliminary investigations, the collision between the speeding bus and a two-wheeler caused the smaller vehicle to get stuck beneath the bus chassis, triggering sparks that rapidly ignited a fire. Within moments, the blaze engulfed the air-conditioned bus, trapping several passengers inside.
Kurnool Superintendent of Police Vikrant Patil confirmed that the impact likely led to the fire. “The accident happened when the bus hit a two-wheeler, which got jammed under it. This may have caused a spark that led to the fire. A forensic team is analyzing the incident to determine the exact cause,” he said.
The inferno spread so quickly that many passengers could not escape. “Since it was an AC coach, the windows were sealed, making evacuation difficult. Those who managed to break the glass survived,” Patil added. At least 15 passengers were rescued by locals and police teams and rushed to nearby hospitals. Some are reported to have suffered severe burns and smoke inhalation injuries.
Visuals from the site showed the bus reduced to a charred shell, with emergency responders battling flames that lit up the highway. The remains of the two-wheeler were also found completely burnt. Rescue teams continued operations through the morning to recover bodies and verify identities, assisted by family members of missing passengers.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep anguish over the accident, describing it as a “heartbreaking tragedy.” In a message on X (formerly Twitter), he said, “Deeply pained by the bus fire accident near Chinna Tekur in Kurnool district. The government is ensuring all possible assistance for the injured and bereaved families.”
Former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) General Secretary Nara Lokesh also conveyed condolences and urged authorities to ensure immediate medical care and compensation for victims.
The Kurnool police have registered a case and ordered a detailed probe into the incident. Officials from the Road Transport Authority (RTA) are also examining whether any mechanical faults or safety lapses contributed to the tragedy.
