Volvo bus catches fire leads to 45 death

Bangalore: Swedish transport vehicle major AB Volvo has offered to help state agencies investigating the fiery mishap involving a luxury bus of its make in Andhra Pradesh Wednesday in which 45 passengers were burnt to death. "A team from our company will visit the accident spot to gather facts. We will offer full cooperation to the authorities and agencies investigating the mishap," Volvo's Indian subsidiary said in a statement here. The luxury coach, built by the city-based subsidiary, was being operated by leading private transport carrier Jabbar Travels from Bangalore to Hyderabad, about 600 km away, through National Highway 7. The accident took place involving a Volvo intercity coach at Kothakota in Mahabubnagar district, about 130 km from Hyderabad, at around 5.20 am. Seven passengers, including the driver and a cleaner, managed to escape. They were shifted to a hospital. The Volvo bus was carrying 49 passengers. The passengers were asleep when the bus hit the culvert and its diesel tank burst. People from nearby village said the bus was reduced to ashes within few minutes. The victims were charred beyond recognition. Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed shock over the ghastly disaster and mourned the victims, offering his condolences to the bereaved families. "I have directed the Raichur deputy commissioner to help the victims' relatives to transport their bodies to Bangalore and offered to provide relief to them," Siddaramaiah said in a statement. Raichur, about 500 km from Bangalore, is the border district across Mahabubnagar in the northern region of the state. Heart-rending scenes were witnessed at the homes of some of the victims here as nearly 30 of the passengers boarded the bus late Tuesday from the transport firm's office in the city centre. One of the victims, Venkatesh Yadav, was president of the Chiranjeevi Fans' Association in Bangalore, formed by ardent admirers of former Telugu mega star and union tourism minister. Yadav was travelling to Hyderabad with his sister Anita, who too perished in the bus fire.