At least 46 people have died in two separate bus fire tragedies in India this week in span of 9 days.
In Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, 20 people were killed when a Kaveri Travels bus caught fire after colliding with a bike early Friday.
Just days earlier, a Jaisalmer-bound bus in Rajasthan went up in flames near Thaiyat village, claiming 26 lives and leaving 15 critically injured.
Kurnool tragedy: Bike collision triggers inferno
The Kaveri Travels bus, carrying over 40 passengers from Hyderabad to Bengaluru, went up in flames moments after colliding with a bike at Chinna Tekuru village.
Dr Siri confirmed that 21 people have been traced, with 11 bodies identified and nine still unidentified.
Survivors reported that the bus door became jammed, preventing passengers from escaping, while twelve people managed to flee through the windows with burn injuries.
DIG Koya Praveen said that the impact with the bike ignited the fire, but combustible materials inside the bus contributed to the high death toll.
He noted that the fuel tank remained intact and the vehicle lacked adequate fire safety measures to prevent or mitigate such incidents. Within minutes, the blaze engulfed the entire bus, trapping several passengers inside.
Jaisalmer: Short circuit causes deadly blaze
In Rajasthan, a private bus operated by KK Travels, recently converted from non-AC to AC just a week prior, caught fire on while traveling from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur.
The fire broke out near Thaiyat village, about 10 km from Jaisalmer city, trapping passengers inside as flames engulfed the front of the bus and blocked all exits.
Investigations by multiple teams—including the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), the transport department, and the Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT) in Pune—confirmed that a short circuit in the air-conditioning system caused a gas leak that ignited curtains and seat cushions. Passengers seated toward the rear had no way to escape.India witnessed two devastating bus fires this week, claiming 46 lives. In Andhra Pradesh, a collision with a bike ignited a bus, trapping passengers due to jammed doors. Rajasthan saw a similar tragedy when a short circuit in an AC system caused a blaze, leaving no escape for many. These incidents highlight critical safety lapses in private bus operations. Read more
