As the details of the horrific Kurnool bus fire come to light, it is now being reported that some 234 smartphones in the bus could have intensified the blaze that claimed at least 20 lives on the Bengaluru-bound private bus that caught fire in the wee hours of Friday.
NDTV reported that the bus was carrying a consignment of 234 smartphones worth ₹46 lakh, which were being shipped as a parcel by a Hyderabad-based businessman identified as Manganath. The report quoted forensic experts as saying that the exploding batteries are likely to have contributed to the intensity of the blaze.
The smartphone consignment was being transported to Bengaluru for an e-commerce company.
What happened on the bus?
The Bengaluru-bound bus with 44 people on board went up in flames after it collided with a motorcycle on National Highway 44 on the outskirts of Kurnool city in Andhra Pradesh. The motorcycle reportedly got dragged underneath the bus, hitting the open fuel tank, which triggered the flames.
Most of the passengers were sleeping when the fire erupted and the doors of the bus got jammed due to a short circuit resulting in the high number if casualties. Some 20 passengers who survived the fire managed to escape after breaking the windows.
What has the probe revealed?
Police have filed a case of negligence and overspeed has been registered against two drivers of the bus, one of whom is in spotlight for changing his statement. A case of negligence and over-speeding has been registered against two drivers of the bus based on the complaint filed by one of the survivors, N Ramesh, PTI quoted a police official as saying. N Ramesh has accused the drivers of negligent and over-speeding.
{{/usCountry}}Police have filed a case of negligence and overspeed has been registered against two drivers of the bus, one of whom is in spotlight for changing his statement. A case of negligence and over-speeding has been registered against two drivers of the bus based on the complaint filed by one of the survivors, N Ramesh, PTI quoted a police official as saying. N Ramesh has accused the drivers of negligent and over-speeding.
{{/usCountry}}Touted as heroic by some for rescuing several passengers, one of the two bus drivers has come to spotlight with police alleging that he has been changing his statements. Siva Narayana (30), the second driver of the bus was not behind the wheel at the time of the incident but has reportedly been taken into custody by police. Following the incident, the man who was driving the bus, Lakshmaiah, fled the scene.