Bus catches fire, alert driver saves passengers' lives

An alert BMTC driver saved the lives of around 25 passengers just before the engine went up in flames in front of ITPL in Whitefield on Wednesday morning. 

Around 11 am, the bus was nearing ITPL when the driver noticed smoke emanating from the engine.

He stopped the bus and asked the passengers to alight immediately, said a Fire and Emergency Services personnel.

The driver then alerted the Fire and Emergency Services department. Soon, the bus was engulfed in flames.

The bus belonging to BMTC depot-39 has been completely damaged. Around three fire tenders were used to douse the fire. Preliminary investigations have revealed that an electrical short circuit triggered the fire, the personnel from Fire Services said.

No casualties
The police, who were also alerted, visited the spot and said there were no casualties. The police said that no complaint had been lodged and they would take up a case if the authorities concerned approached them.

The traffic on the stretch was disrupted for more than 30 minutes. A crane was deployed to move the bus from the spot.