A deadly bus fire in southern India has taken a devastating turn, with hundreds of smartphones exacerbating the blaze. At least 20 people lost their lives in the incident that occurred on Friday when the bus collided with a motorcycle and its fuel tank ruptured, triggering an explosion.
As investigators have revealed, the approximately 40 passengers were struggling to escape the inferno as locals rushed to rescue them. However, the addition of hundreds of smartphones onboard, which were being transported from Hyderabad to Bengaluru, seems to have accelerated the fire once the lithium-ion batteries ruptured.
Forensic experts have now confirmed that the presence of these high-energy-density batteries likely played a significant role in intensifying the blaze. The situation was further worsened by electrical batteries used for the air conditioning system on the bus also exploding and fueling the flames.
The smartphone shipment, valued at 4.6 million Indian rupees (approximately £39,361 or $52,377), is a staggering amount of money that highlights the tragic consequences of such accidents. Most smartphones come equipped with lithium-ion batteries that can pose a significant fire risk if damaged.
Experts have pointed out that these batteries can experience thermal runaway – uncontrollable temperature increases – which are challenging to combat with conventional firefighting methods. This phenomenon can also spread to other nearby batteries, further fueling the inferno.
The authorities have launched an investigation into possible negligent driving over the crash, and the bus driver has fled the scene. The motorcyclist who was involved in the accident is among the dead.
India's roads have one of the highest fatality rates globally, with buses being a common mode of transportation. Operators often flout safety rules, leading to overcrowding and increasing the risk of accidents. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the need for improved safety protocols on Indian roads.
As investigators have revealed, the approximately 40 passengers were struggling to escape the inferno as locals rushed to rescue them. However, the addition of hundreds of smartphones onboard, which were being transported from Hyderabad to Bengaluru, seems to have accelerated the fire once the lithium-ion batteries ruptured.
Forensic experts have now confirmed that the presence of these high-energy-density batteries likely played a significant role in intensifying the blaze. The situation was further worsened by electrical batteries used for the air conditioning system on the bus also exploding and fueling the flames.
The smartphone shipment, valued at 4.6 million Indian rupees (approximately £39,361 or $52,377), is a staggering amount of money that highlights the tragic consequences of such accidents. Most smartphones come equipped with lithium-ion batteries that can pose a significant fire risk if damaged.
Experts have pointed out that these batteries can experience thermal runaway – uncontrollable temperature increases – which are challenging to combat with conventional firefighting methods. This phenomenon can also spread to other nearby batteries, further fueling the inferno.
The authorities have launched an investigation into possible negligent driving over the crash, and the bus driver has fled the scene. The motorcyclist who was involved in the accident is among the dead.
India's roads have one of the highest fatality rates globally, with buses being a common mode of transportation. Operators often flout safety rules, leading to overcrowding and increasing the risk of accidents. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the need for improved safety protocols on Indian roads.
these lithium-ion batteries are crazy they're so convenient but also super deadly if not handled right, it's a shame that the bus driver ran away from the scene maybe he could've saved some lives. and these electrical batteries on the air conditioning system were just waiting to explode like dominoes 
India's got a lot of issues with road safety I remember my uncle talking about this problem back in 2010, so yeah, it's not new but still, you'd think we'd be safer by now. 
It's just heartbreaking what happened on that bus. Those 20 people who lost their lives... it could've been so many more if those smartphones weren't there to fuel the fire. I mean, lithium-ion batteries are supposed to be safe, but clearly they're not. The authorities should really crack down on those bus operators who don't follow safety rules - overcrowding is a huge risk factor for accidents. 
We need better measures in place to prevent this kind of tragedy from happening again. 
. I mean, I get it, they're super convenient and all that, but seriously, who thought it was a good idea to put them on a bus full of people?! 
It's like asking for trouble - or in this case, 20 dead bodies.
. I guess it just goes to show that these high-tech goodies can be super hazardous if they're not handled properly.
The authorities need to get to the bottom of what happened and whether the driver's actions contributed to the accident. We also need to take a hard look at how the bus industry in India is regulated – it's clear that there are some safety concerns that need to be addressed ASAP.
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Man, this is just heartbreaking... hundreds of lives lost in one accident 
I mean think about it... this bus fire was caused by a motorcycle crash and now we're told that smartphones were on board? It's almost like they wanted to make sure everyone died in that blaze! 
The lithium-ion batteries in those phones are super flammable, right? So, why would you even transport them on a bus? Was it an accident or was there something more sinister at play? 
What's really going on here? Was it an accident or was it something more sinister? I'm not buying the "negligent driving" excuse just yet. The fact that the bus driver fled the scene is suspicious enough, but what about all those phones? Did they just happen to be in the way? 
Something needs to change here ASAP, especially with bus safety regulations. We need more stringent rules in place to prevent such tragedies from happening again. 
Can you believe how many lives lost over just a few smartphones?! 
We need to be teaching them (and ourselves) more about safety and responsibility when it comes to technology 
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How can we trust our children's safety on roads when adults like that are not even taking their responsibilities seriously?! 
anywayz, 20 ppl lost their lives which is super sad... i wonder if the bus was even inspected before all those phones were loaded on. and what about the motorcyclist dude, that's so tragic too. ugh, indian roads are literally one of the worst in the world 
... think about it, all those smartphones just sitting there, waiting to go up in flames 
. And India needs to get its roads together - overcrowding and poor driving skills are just asking for accidents. It's like, people need to follow the rules or something! 
. Those lithium-ion batteries are a total disaster waiting to happen. Thermal runaway, yeah right... it's just common sense to know how these things can behave when damaged.
. The authorities really need to crack down on this stuff and make operators follow the rules. This incident is just another example of how complacency can be deadly...