Survivors recount harrowing escape, while families grapple with sudden loss of loved ones, including young IT professionals.
Hyderabad: A devastating bus fire in Kurnool has claimed at least 25 lives, leaving families and communities in deep mourning. The accident occurred on National Highway 44 near Chinnatekuru village when a high-speed motorcycle collided with a passenger bus, causing the bus’s fuel tank to explode. Among the 44 passengers onboard, many were asleep and caught unaware in the flames. A few survivors managed to break windows and flee, while others tragically could not escape.
Among the deceased were two young IT professionals, Anusha Reddy and Dhatri Ganmaneni. Anusha, returning from Hyderabad to Bengaluru, and Dhatri, who had boarded the bus from her uncle’s house, represented a bright future now abruptly cut short. Their families are grappling with immense grief, struggling to process the sudden loss of daughters, sisters, and nieces. Neighbors and friends describe the scene at their homes as one of silent sorrow, with relatives overwhelmed by the magnitude of the tragedy.
Survivors’ stories paint a harrowing picture:
- Many passengers were asleep when the collision occurred.
- The main doors of the bus were reportedly inoperative, forcing people to improvise their escape.
- Some smashed windows in desperation, crawling through fire and smoke to survive.
The trauma extends beyond immediate physical injuries. Families of those who perished are facing the emotional toll of unimaginable loss, compounded by the suddenness of the tragedy. Relatives recount sleepless nights, grief-stricken silences, and the haunting memory of last goodbyes that were never said.
Community members and local organizations have rushed to support the bereaved families, offering counseling, medical assistance, and logistical help. Social media has been flooded with messages of condolences, emphasizing the shared sense of loss and empathy across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and the broader IT community affected by the deaths of Anusha and Dhatri.
While Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy extended condolences and assured support for affected families, the focus remains on the human dimension of the tragedy. The families’ grief, the young lives lost, and the survivors’ struggle for survival form the heart of this disaster’s story.
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances leading to the collision and the subsequent fire. Early reports have highlighted safety lapses in public transport, particularly the lack of functional emergency exits, underscoring the urgent need for stricter safety standards to prevent such tragedies in the future.
This incident is a sobering reminder of the fragility of life and the devastating ripple effect a single accident can have on families and communities. In Kurnool, sorrow mingles with resilience as survivors heal and bereaved families try to navigate a life forever altered by this catastrophe.
