At least 20 people have died after a tourist bus caught fire in Andhra Pradesh, southern India, reports Hindustan Times.

The incident occurred when a Kaveri Travels bus traveling from Hyderabad to Bangalore, carrying about 44 passengers, collided with a motorcycle on the national highway. According to police, “The two-wheeler got trapped under the bus and hit the fuel tank, causing an immediate explosion. The flames quickly spread throughout the bus.”

Most passengers were asleep at the time of the accident. Some woke up, broke the windows, and jumped out, but many remained inside as the fire engulfed the bus within minutes. Local residents rushed to the scene to help before firefighters arrived.

Police have launched an investigation, suggesting that careless handling of the two-wheeler and fuel spillage may have caused the fire. The bus drivers fled the scene immediately after the crash and are currently being sought by authorities.