At least 25 passengers were burnt to death after a private sleeper bus caught fire following a collision with a motorcycle in India’s Andhra Pradesh early Friday, according to local media reports.

The bus, carrying around 40 passengers, was travelling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru when it collided head-on with a motorcycle coming from the opposite direction around 3:30am in Kurnool district, reports The Hindu.

Moments after the crash, flames erupted at the front of the bus and spread rapidly, triggering a fuel tank explosion that engulfed the vehicle in seconds. Most passengers were asleep and woke up to screams and chaos, with many trapped inside as thick smoke and fire blocked the exits.

A few passengers managed to escape through the emergency exit with minor injuries, while several others sustained serious burns, reports said.

The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team is here and ascertaining the exact cause of the fire. Since it was an AC bus, passengers had to break open the windows. Whoever could break open the glass managed to escape,” said Kurnool Superintendent of Police Vikrant Patil, as quoted by NDTV.

Andhra Pradesh Minister for Transport Mandipalli Ram Prasad Reddy visited the scene, expressing shock and deep sorrow over the tragedy. He conveyed condolences to the bereaved families and directed officials to ensure the best possible treatment for the injured.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief over the incident on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a mishap in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. My thoughts are with the affected people and their families during this difficult time. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured.”

Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 200,000 each for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund.