A tragic bus fire in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, has claimed 19 lives, drawing national attention to the dangers of lithium-ion batteries when mishandled or transported in bulk.
According to reports, the private sleeper bus was travelling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru when it caught fire in the early hours of the morning. Investigations revealed that the vehicle was carrying 234 smartphones worth ₹46 lakh as part of a commercial consignment.
Experts now believe the lithium-ion batteries inside these phones intensified the blaze, making it spread faster and burn hotter than a typical vehicle fire.
The initial spark is suspected to have come from a fuel leak near the engine or air-conditioning unit. However, once the fire reached the section where the smartphones were stored, the heat caused multiple battery explosions, rapidly engulfing the entire bus. Most passengers were trapped inside, leaving little time to escape.
Lithium-ion batteries are widely used in mobile phones, laptops, and electric vehicles because they store a large amount of energy in a small space. But under certain conditions, such as high temperatures, physical damage, or overcharging, they can overheat, catch fire, or even explode. When hundreds of such batteries are packed together in a confined space, the risk increases exponentially.
Fire officials also noted that the bus was built with lightweight materials like aluminium, which melted quickly under the intense heat, worsening the situation.
A Warning Ignored
This incident serves as a grave reminder that lithium-ion batteries, while essential to modern life, pose serious fire hazards if not handled or transported safely. Proper packaging, regulation, and fire-safety protocols are crucial when moving large quantities of electronic devices. What happened in Kurnool is a warning that technological convenience must always be balanced with safety vigilance.
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