Survivors recall night a Bengaluru-bound bus became an inferno
Survivors recall night a Bengaluru-bound bus became an inferno
Survivors recount breaking windows and leaping from a Hyderabad-to-Bengaluru sleeper bus as a fire engulfed the cabin near Kurnool, killing 20.
The night turned deadly for passengers on a private sleeper bus traveling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru when a blaze tore through the cabin near Kurnool, engulfing the vehicle in flames and claiming 20 lives. Survivors described a chaotic scene as smoke filled the bus and exits became their only hope for escape.
Jayasurya B., a Hyderabad resident who was en route to a job interview in Bengaluru, recalled the sudden blast of heat and smoke that overwhelmed the cramped interior. "I was thinking about how my job interview would go when suddenly there was a loud noise and within seconds, the bus was filled with smoke," he said. He managed to break a window and jump from about 15 feet, suffering a fractured leg in the process, but doctors indicated he would recover. The fire spread quickly, and many passengers were trapped before they could react.
Among the survivors was Punupatti Keerthi, a 28-year-old software engineer who travels between Hyderabad and Bengaluru for work. Her brother, Narendra, said she woke to flames and saw others trying to break the exits. She reportedly escaped with minimal belongings and is currently safe and resting.
Another passenger, Aswin Reddy, a 36-year-old private sector employee in Bengaluru, recalled seeing flames on the window side as he woke. He said he alerted the driver and that the fire engulfed the bus within minutes. He and others attempted to break windows, and while about 20 people managed to escape, many were left behind, including children, in the intense heat and smoke.
Preliminary findings indicated the train of events began after the sleeper bus collided with a motorbike near Kurnool, leading to a rapid fire that left the bus a charred shell. The tragedy prompted authorities to set up a control room and form multiple forensic teams to probe the incident and determine the exact cause. The scale of the loss has prompted discussions on passenger safety and emergency preparedness on long-distance private coaches.
Cover image source: Naidu expresses grief over Kurnool bus tragedy, orders immediate relief and inquiry 🔗
