'Seconds but felt like eternity': Survivors recall harrowing escape from Hyderabad-Bengaluru bus fire that turned festive trip into tragedy

HYDERABAD: In the early hours of Friday, a journey meant to end a joyful festive weekend turned into a harrowing ordeal for passengers aboard the private travels bus travelling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru.

In an instant, the vehicle was engulfed in flames and thick smoke, jolting passengers awake to a scene of sheer horror.Panic erupted as people scrambled to escape, using whatever they could—mobile phones, laptops, even elbows and knees—to break windows and flee the blaze. Amid the chaos, quick thinking, courage, and instinct became the difference between life and death. For many, the nightmare unfolded in mere seconds but felt like an eternity.

Nelakurthi Ramesh, 36, a Bengaluru resident, was travelling with his wife Sri Lakshmi, and their two children after visiting family over the weekend.

Recounting the terrifying moments, he said: "When I woke up, all I could see were flames, bright yellows and oranges. I could barely breathe. My first thought was for my wife and children. Adrenaline took over, and I knew I had to get them out safely. With my bare fists, I smashed the rear window and hurried my family out of the burning bus.

Others followed us, and we ran as far as we could. The next thing I remember was waking up in the hospital.

" For Ghantasala Subramanyam, 26, a resident of Bahadurpally, the horror began while he was asleep. A fellow passenger's urgent shake awakened him to the sight of fire rapidly consuming the bus. "All I could hear as I opened my eyes was the sizzling sound of flames. It took me a moment to process what was happening," Subramanyam recalled.

"I grabbed my bag and tried to exit through the main door, only to find it locked as the fire spread rapidly. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone smashing a window using a laptop, and without hesitation, I jumped out along with 10 others," he said.He also remembered the kindness of a stranger driving the same route, who offered to take him and three others to the nearest hospital, a small light amid the chaos. The deafening roar of shattering glass and approaching flames left a lasting impression on many.

Jayanth Kushwal, 27, a resident of Vidyanagar, said: "All I remember is people frantically trying to escape. Some smashed the rear windows, others broke the ones by their seats. Glass was everywhere. It was terrifying."Mant survivors described scenes of sheer panic and courage, where instinct overrode fear and the fight for life became paramount—windows smashed with bare hands and, doors forced open amid unimaginable horror. The blaze left a haunting sense of helplessness for Naveen Kumar, 26, from Hayathnagar. "There wasn't a second to think, everything happened instinctively. When I saw someone break the emergency door at the rear, I rushed towards it. In the chaos, I fractured my left leg. Around me, people were trapped, struggling to escape. I couldn't help them, and that haunts me, but in those moments, there was nothing anyone could do," he rued.