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Headline: Exploding Smartphones May Have Worsened Deadly Kurnool Bus Fire; Fuel Leak Identified as Initial Cause

Kurnool, India – The investigation into the devastating bus fire in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, that claimed the lives of 19 passengers has taken a new turn with the discovery that a large consignment of smartphones was onboard the vehicle. Forensic experts are now suggesting that exploding batteries from the 234 Realme smartphones, valued at approximately Rs 46 lakh, significantly contributed to the intensity of the blaze.

The smartphones were being shipped as a parcel by Manganath, a Hyderabad-based businessman, and destined for e-commerce giant Flipkart in Bengaluru, where they were intended for customer distribution. Eyewitness accounts corroborate the theory, with reports of batteries exploding as the fire spread.

While the smartphones’ role in escalating the tragedy is under scrutiny, Andhra Pradesh Fire Services Department Director-General P Venkataraman stated that the initial cause of the fire is believed to be a fuel leakage in the front section of the bus. According to Venkataraman, a motorcycle became lodged beneath the bus, leading to a petrol spillage that ignited, rapidly engulfing the vehicle. The electrical batteries used for the bus’s air conditioning system also reportedly burst.

Venkataraman described the extreme heat generated by the fire, stating that it melted the aluminum flooring of the bus. “We saw bones and ash dropping through the melted sheets,” he said, highlighting the catastrophic loss of life. He also pointed out that the bus’s construction, which used lightweight aluminum instead of iron to reduce weight and increase speed, may have exacerbated the situation.

The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are continuing to piece together the events that led to the tragic incident. The driver of the bus is also under investigation after reports emerged that he fled the scene without assisting passengers.

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