Sat Oct 25 14:17:11 UTC 2025: Summary:
A V. Kaveri Travels bus fire near Kurnool, India, was exacerbated by over 100 mobile phones being transported in the luggage compartment. Explosions from the phone batteries fueled the blaze, leaving passengers with little chance of escape. The Andhra Pradesh Forensic Science Laboratory (APFSL) is investigating the primary and secondary causes of the fire.
News Article:
Mobile Phones Fueled Deadly Bus Fire in Kurnool, Forensic Report Reveals
VIJAYAWADA, INDIA – October 25, 2025 – A forensic investigation has revealed that a large shipment of mobile phones significantly worsened the devastating bus fire near Kurnool on Friday, according to the Andhra Pradesh Forensic Science Laboratory (APFSL). The V. Kaveri Travels bus, which was carrying passengers, went up in flames between 2:55 a.m. and 3:00 a.m.
APFSL Director G. Pala Raju stated that the bus driver had booked a large order of mobile phones, which were then loaded into the luggage compartment. “All the phones were burnt in the fire, and the batteries exploded,” he explained. The explosions accelerated the intensity of the blaze, giving passengers trapped in the sleeper coach minimal time to react.
Forensic teams collected 83 samples of burnt materials from the scene, including luggage, engine parts, seat covers, and damaged cell phones. Sixteen FSL teams are currently working to determine the cause of the fire. Four teams are focused on physical analysis, two on chemical analysis, and the remaining teams are dedicated to DNA preservation and matching samples to the victims’ families.
“The APFSL is trying to find out what other materials were loaded in the luggage cabin. Forensic experts are trying to find out the primary and secondary cause for the fire in the moving bus,” stated Mr. Pala Raju.
The chemical analysis will focus on identifying how the fire originated and spread throughout the bus. Authorities are investigating whether the mobile phones were the sole cause of the disaster or if other factors contributed to the rapid escalation of the fire.
The incident has sparked outrage and raised serious questions about safety regulations for transporting potentially hazardous goods on passenger buses. An investigation into the transport company’s practices is expected.
First Piper 