What caused the Kurnool bus fire that killed 20 in Andhra Pradesh?

A preliminary probe, revealed an accident as the cause of the fire. (Express Photo)

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,” he said.

Follow live updates on the Kurnool bus fire here.

Bike rider among victims of Kurnool bus fire

So far, 20 people have been confirmed dead. The rider of the bike involved in the accident is among the deceased.

The driver of the bus, Miryala Lakshmiah, co-driver G Siva Narayana, and cabin attendant Miryala Ashok managed to escape unharmed and alert authorities.

Second major bus fire on Bengaluru-Hyderabad highway

This is the second such major bus fire on the Hyderabad-Bengaluru route. On October 30, 2013, 45 people 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.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday expressed condolences to those affected in the Kurnool bus fire tragedy that claimed lives of at least 12 people. Taking to X, the office of Prime Minister said, “Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a mishap in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. My thoughts are with the affected people and their families during this difficult time. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured.”