As Fire Spread In Andhra Bus Accident, Driver Fled, Didn't Help Others: Cops

The driver of the bus which caught fire in Andhra Pradesh's Kurnool in the early hours of Friday had alighted to check on the situation but panicked and fled instead of helping passengers who were trapped inside, a senior police official has told NDTV. Of the 43 people who were on the bus, 19 died in the fire, and the rider of a motorcycle which was hit by the bus before the blaze was also killed.

The AC sleeper bus, which was headed from Hyderabad to Bengaluru, hit the motorcycle in Kurnool around 3 am on Friday. The bike got lodged under the bus and was dragged by it. The friction from this caused sparks, which are believed to have caused the fire.

NDTV visited the site and spoke to some passengers who managed to escape. The door was jammed and one of the passengers recounted how they had to punch, kick and even headbutt the windows to get out.

"When the bus stopped, I woke up and saw there had been an accident and parts of the vehicle had caught fire. We punched the window, kicked it, pushed it and headbutted it. By the time we managed to get it open, there was a lot of smoke. We jumped from a fair height and noticed that some passengers were lying unconscious on the road as well. We dragged them away from the bus," recounted a passenger. 

"At least 10 people escaped through the back window and five from the side," he said.

Kurnool Superintendent of Police Vikrant Patil said the second driver of the bus helped passengers, but the driver who caused the accident fled. 

"As of now, we know a two-wheeler came under the bus. The driver got down to see what happened. He saw the fire had started and he woke the other driver and they tried to put out the fire together. After the fire spread, the main driver ran in panic. The second driver helped break the windows, as did local residents. They helped passengers get out. We have recovered 19 bodies of people who were on the bus and the body of the two-wheeler rider," he said. 

The main driver has now been arrested. 

Forensic teams reached the site and collected evidence and samples from the bus, which was completely charred. DNA samples are also being collected to identify the bodies, and a help desk has been set up at the spot. 

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan said the initial investigation points to the fuel tank of the bus exploding because the bike got lodged near it.

Expressing his condolences, Andhra Pradesh Transport Minister Ramprasad Reddy said Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has directed the administration to take necessary steps. "Our government stands with the families of those who lost their lives in the tragedy...  We have announced Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh each to the injured. Over 16 teams have been mobilised."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the people who died and Rs 50,000 to the injured.