Kurnool bus fire: 20 dead in Andhra tragedy; CM Naidu takes stock of situation from Dubai

After a preliminary probe, police said that there was an accident involving a motorcycle and that the fuel tank of the bus burst and caught fire, trapping the passengers onboard.

Check the live updates on the Kurnool bus fire here.

The driver, co-driver, and cabin attendant noticed the fire and jumped out and alerted the authorities.

Andhra Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who is in Dubai, spoke to officials in Andhra Pradesh over phone and took stock of the situation. He said his government will extend all possible support to the injured and affected families. “I am shocked to learn about the devastating bus fire accident near Chinna Tekur village in Kurnool district. My heartfelt condolences go out to the families of those who have lost their loved ones,” he posted on X.

I am shocked to learn about the devastating bus fire accident near Chinna Tekur village in Kurnool district. My heartfelt condolences go out to the families of those who have lost their loved ones. Government authorities will extend all possible support to the injured and…

— N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) October 24, 2025

TDP MLA Lokesh Nara said:, “The news of the devastating bus fire accident near Chinna Tekur village in Kurnool district is heartbreaking. I extend my deepest sympathies to the families who have lost loved ones. Wishing speedy recovery to those injured.”

Expressing his distress at the Kurnool bus fire, former Andhra CM Jagan Mohan Reddy said: “I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones. I urge the government to ensure all necessary assistance and medical support to the injured and those affected by this unfortunate incident.”

Kurnool bus fire cause

Kurnool District Collector A Siri said 41 passengers were on board the Kaveri Travels bus. “The incident occurred between 3 am and 3:10 am when a motorcycle collided with the bus rupturing the fuel tank. The resulting leak in tank and friction might have caused the fire,” she said. the bike rider was among the deceased.

The bodies have been charred beyond recognition. The police and the forensics teams are now collecting DNA samples from the bodies for identification.

This is the second such major bus fire on the Hyderabad-Bengaluru route. On October 30, 2013, 45 persons on board a private bus coming from Bengaluru to Hyderabad were burnt alive when the vehicle caught fire about 140 km away from Hyderabad, near Palem in Mahbubnagar district.