AP: Death toll rises to 44 in Volvo bus fire

Over forty four are feared to be dead after a volvo bus caught fire en route to Bangalore from Hyderabad. The incident took place at Mahabubnagar district in Andhra Pradesh. There are conflicting reports about what may have caused the fire. [caption id=“attachment_1201499” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Image used for representation. Courtesy: ibn live[/caption] “It seems the bus was travelling at a high speed when its fuel tank hit the roadside culvert and caught fire. There are some causalities feared as the entire bus has been gutted,” a senior police officer told PTI. They are ascertaining the exact number of casualties, he added. Kothakota police were further investigating the case and senior police officers have rushed to the spot. A Times Of India report says that the bus had rammed into an oil tanker on the Bangalore-Hyderabad national highway and caught fire. However an NDTV report added that the fire broke out after the vehicle’s fuel tank exploded. While most of the passengers are feared dead, a few had managed to break the glass windows and escape. All injured have been taken to the hospital. The incident occurred around 5:10 AM while most of the 49 passengers had been asleep. The driver along with cleaner and five other passengers managed to escape, police said quoting eyewitnesses. Efforts are being made to bring the flames under control and police officials are supervising relief operations. Here are the control room numbers for more information on the accident: 9494600100, 08542-245927, 08542-245930, 08542-24593