46 dead in 9 days in Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan: Collisions, short circuits and jammed doors turn buses into deadly traps

NEW DEHI: At least 46 people have died in two separate bus fire tragedies in India within a span of nine 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 infernoThe 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 blazeIn 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.Nineteen bodies were recovered from the vehicle, including three children. One 75-year-old passenger, Hussain Khan, succumbed to his injuries during treatment. Six of the deceased were from Jodhpur, while the remainder were residents of Jaisalmer.Survivors described the fire spreading rapidly. Manoj Bhatia’s family said the front of the bus was engulfed before anyone could react. First response came from the Army’s Battle Axe Division, led by General Officer Commanding Major General Ashish Khurana, who worked alongside local police and villagers. Jaisalmer Collector Pratap Singh said rescue operations were delayed nearly four hours due to the extreme heat of the bus’s metal body, which slowed the removal of trapped passengers.Safety concernsBoth tragedies have reignited calls for stricter safety protocols in private buses, including fire-retardant materials, functional emergency exits, regular maintenance checks, and better preparedness for emergencies. In Kurnool, authorities stressed the importance of avoiding combustible materials and ensuring doors are operational, while in Jaisalmer, experts warned about the dangers of poorly installed or modified AC systems.These incidents serve as a grim reminder of the vulnerabilities in private bus and urgent need for enforcement of fire safety regulations to prevent further loss of life.