‘Main door locked, passengers jumped out of broken windows’: Kurnool bus tragedy witness recounts nightmare

“Around 2.30–2.40 am, the bus stopped and I woke up to see it had caught fire. Everyone on board was asleep. We woke them up and tried to escape. The main door was locked, so we broke the emergency window and jumped out. Many others also escaped by breaking the windows,” a passenger told ANI.

TDP MP Byreddy Shabari, who visited the accident site, told PTI, “The horrible accident took place between 3:00 am and 3:30 am when the bus rammed into a bike and immediately caught fire, as per eyewitnesses. At the time, most of the passengers were asleep, and those who were awake broke windows to escape. Around 19 people were brought to the hospital and are being treated.”

The incident occurred between 3 am and 3:10 am when a motorcycle collided with the Hyderabad–Bengaluru coach. (Express Photo)

Leaders express grief over the incident

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the tragedy, calling it “deeply saddening.” He also announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the families of the victims and Rs 50,000 to those injured.

In a post on X, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) 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.”

President Droupadi Murmu also expressed sorrow over the loss of lives, calling the incident “deeply unfortunate.” In a post on X, she conveyed her condolences to the bereaved families and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressed condolences, describing the incident as “tragic and painful.”

Taking to X, he said, “The tragic and painful incident of a bus catching fire on the Hyderabad–Bengaluru highway in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, resulting in the death of many innocent people, is deeply saddening. I express my heartfelt condolences to the grieving families of all the passengers who lost their lives in this tragedy and hope for the speedy recovery of the injured.”

He also stressed the need for stricter vehicle safety and accountability.

“Such recurring accidents raise serious questions about the safety arrangements of our public transportation. Passenger safety must be the top priority, and along with ensuring proper vehicle maintenance, it is essential to establish accountability for such incidents.”

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