Archive · 26 Dec 2025
Rise in Deadly Bus Fires Sparks Safety Concerns
There have been many bus fires in India recently, causing many people to lose their lives.
The fires happen because the buses have things inside that catch fire easily, exits that don't work, and other safety problems.
A TV show did a secret recording and found that buses are being filled with too much diesel and using rubber tires, which makes the fires worse.
The government has rules to keep buses safe, but many bus companies aren't following them.
This means that people traveling on these buses are in danger.
There have been many big fires recently, like one in Andhra Pradesh and another in Rajasthan, where many people died.
Experts say we need better safety checks and rules to stop these fires from happening.
At least 130 people have died in bus fire accidents since 2013, with recent major incidents in October 2023.
Recent fires in Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan killed 21 and 20 people respectively, raising serious safety concerns.
A Republic TV sting exposed overloading of diesel cans and use of rubber tires as contributing factors to bus fires.
Common causes of bus fires include flammable interiors, blocked exits, illegal electrical modifications, and lack of safety equipment.
Data from the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways shows 64 deaths and 145 injuries in bus fire accidents across India between 2021 and 2025.
- Who
- Passengers and bus operators
- What
- Increase in bus fire accidents
- When
- Recent incidents in October 2023, data from 2013 onwards
- Where
- Various locations across India, including Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka
- Why
- Flammable interiors, blocked exits, illegal modifications, and poor safety measures
- Total Deaths Since 2013
- At least 130
- Recent Major Incidents
- 7
- Kurnool Incident Date
- October 24
- Thaiyat Village Incident Date
- October 14
- Chitradurga Incident Date
- Early hours of Thursday
- Karnataka Incidents (2021-2025)
- 3
- Karnataka Injuries (2021-2025)
- 14
- National Injuries (2021-2025)
- 145