A bus fire that killed at least 20 people in southern India was intensified by hundreds of smartphones being onboard, local reports say, citing forensics officials.
Flames rapidly engulfed the Bangalore-bound bus after it collided with a motorcycle that ruptured its fuel tank and triggered an explosion early on Friday.
Eyewitnesses said the approximately 40 passengers had struggled to escape as locals rushed to pull out survivors.
Forensic experts have now told local media that the bus had been carrying a shipment of 234 mobile phones, and that the lithium-ion batteries they contained likely exacerbated the fire once they ruptured.
The bus batteries, presence of flammable furnishings in the bus, and the cargo consisting of cell phones aggravated the fire leading to the tragic event, according to Kurnool Superintendent of Police Vikrant Patel.
Meanwhile, P Venkataraman, director-general of the Andhra Pradesh Fire Services Department, stated that electrical batteries used for the air conditioning system of the bus also exploded, worsening the fire. We saw bones and ash dropping through the melted sheets, he told local media.
The smartphones, worth 4.6 million Indian rupees (£39,361; $52,377), were being sent from Hyderabad to an e-commerce company in Bengaluru, broadcaster NDTV reports.
Most smartphones have lithium-ion batteries, which can pose a fire risk when damaged due to thermal runaway, an uncontrollable increase in temperature that can spread to nearby batteries.
Authorities have opened an investigation into possible negligent driving over the crash, and the bus driver fled the scene. The motorcyclist is believed to be among the deceased.
Buses are commonly used for transportation in India; however, safety regulations are often overlooked, contributing to the country having the highest road accident death tolls in the world last year.
