All 33 passengers aboard a private travel bus escaped without injury after the vehicle caught fire in Andhra Pradesh's Prakasam district in the early hours of Tuesday, 10 November, according to police. The incident, which occurred around 1.30 am near Chandi in Valetivaripalem mandal, was averted from turning fatal by the quick reflexes of the driver.

How the Fire Broke Out

The bus was travelling from Kadapa to Vijayawada when one of its front tyres detached from the vehicle, triggering a fire. Recognising the danger immediately, the driver brought the bus to a halt and alerted all passengers on board. Every one of the 33 passengers managed to disembark before the flames spread and completely gutted the vehicle.

A fire engine was dispatched to the scene and doused the blaze. Police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the cause of the tyre failure and subsequent fire.

A Pattern of Bus Fires in Prakasam

This is not the first such incident in the district. In May this year, 36 passengers of another private travel bus had a narrow escape when their vehicle caught fire at Bheemavaram Adda Road in Ulavapadu mandal, Prakasam district. That bus was en route from Hyderabad to Tirupati. On that occasion too, the driver noticed smoke rising from the engine and stopped the bus in time for all passengers to evacuate safely.

The two incidents within months raise questions about the roadworthiness of private inter-city buses operating on Andhra Pradesh highways, particularly during overnight journeys when mechanical faults are harder to detect early.

Separate Road Accidents Reported Nearby

In a separate incident in neighbouring Telangana, two police personnel were injured when their vehicle overturned at Pargi in Vikarabad district. The driver reportedly lost control and struck a road divider. The personnel were returning to Hyderabad from Kodangal, where they had been part of the security detail for Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, whose three-day visit to his Assembly constituency of Vikarabad concluded on Monday.

Additionally, three people were injured near Nacharam, on the outskirts of Hyderabad, after a speeding car rammed into an auto-rickshaw. Police shifted the injured to a hospital.

What Authorities Are Doing

Police in Prakasam district have registered a formal case following the bus fire and are investigating whether a mechanical defect or maintenance lapse caused the tyre to detach. The recurrence of such incidents points to a broader need for stricter roadworthiness checks on private long-distance buses, particularly those operating overnight routes.

Transport safety advocates have long argued that surprise inspections of private bus operators must be intensified ahead of peak travel seasons. With investigations under way, the findings are expected to determine accountability and whether the bus was operating in compliance with vehicle fitness norms.