NEW DELHI: The blaze that engulfed a passenger bus in Andhra Pradesh within the wee hours of Friday was sparked when a motorbike got here beneath the car and was dragged alongside, resulting in the fireplace, based on police.The fireplace claimed 20 lives — 19 passengers on the bus and the motorcyclist.“Primarily based on forensic evaluation, autopsy studies, scene reconstruction and witness statements, the sequence of occasions resulting in the bus hearth has been established,” the Workplace of the Superintendent of Police, Kurnool district — the place the mishap occurred — stated in a press launch. Investigators discovered that the bus driver, Miryala Lakshmaiah, had collided with a motorbike touring in the identical route. The motorcyclist, Buccalu Shiva Shankar, died on the spot.“The bike was dragged beneath the bus and the sparks from this resulted within the hearth. The bus batteries, presence of flammable furnishings within the bus and the cargo consisting of cellphone aggravated the fireplace resulting in the tragic occasion,” the discharge said.It added that households of 18 of the deceased have been contacted, and the method of DNA matching and handing over the our bodies is presently underway. The bus, carrying 43 individuals, was touring from Hyderabad to Bengaluru when the accident occurred.A case has been registered towards each drivers of the bus for alleged negligent and over-speed driving, primarily based on a criticism by one of many survivors, N Ramesh.