Archive · 26 Oct 2025
Kurnool Bus Fire: Illegal Modifications Hampered Passenger Escape
A bus in India caught fire, and many passengers couldn't get out.
The bus had been illegally changed to add more beds, which blocked the emergency doors and windows.
This made it hard for people to escape.
Government rules require buses to have safe exits, but some bus companies change these rules for more profit.
Experts say the changes made the bus unsafe, trapping the passengers inside the burning vehicle.
Emergency door got jammed, trapping passengers.
Illegal modifications to the bus design obstructed passenger exits.
Bus operators prioritized profits over passenger safety.
Modifications included addition of berths that reduced space for emergency exits.
Experts highlighted lack of proper emergency windows and floor trap doors.
- Who
- Bus passengers, bus operators, Dr. Koya Praveen, Dr. Ravi Kumar Mandava, Prof. V. Naga Prasad Naidu
- What
- Investigation into the Kaveri bus fire and the factors that prevented passenger escape.
- When
- Following the fire on Friday morning.
- Where
- Kurnool, India
- Why
- To determine the cause of passenger entrapment and identify safety violations.
Passenger Safety Standards
Bus Operator Practices
Emergency Exits
Passenger Safety Standards
Buses should adhere to safety standards mandating adequate emergency exits.
Bus Operator Practices
Bus operators may alter the standard to increase profits.
- Event
- Kaveri Bus Fire
- Location
- Kurnool, India
- Fatalities
- 19
- Emergency Exit Obstruction
- Jamming and illegal modifications
- Bus Modifications
- Illegal berth additions, reducing emergency exits
- Regulatory Body
- MoRTH
Sources
Kurnool Tragedy Has Traces of 2013 Palem Bus Mishap
Transport Minister cracks down on rule-violating private buses
Flawed bus design, negligence fuel Kurnool bus tragedy
Kurnool bus fire: Drivers booked for negligence
Kurnool bus tragedy: smart phone batteries intensified blaze
Sleeper Buses Banned Abroad, Thrive In India
Kurnool Bus Fire Exposes Safety Gaps
'Killer' Travel Bus Hit Bike Lying on the Road, Causing Tragedy