A fire broke out on a BMTC bus with around 25 passengers in Jayanagar on Tuesday afternoon with no casualties reported.
Police said the bus, route number 215H with registration number KA-67-F-1586, belonging to depot number 44 caught fire as it neared Nanda Talkies in South End Circle at 1.15 pm.
Noticing the fire, bus driver Kemparaju asked the passengers to alight the vehicle, saving them from harm. He joined hands with conductor Mantappa to douse the flames after alerting the fire and emergency services. The bus was almost gutted before the fire tender reached the spot.
Jayanagar police, who have taken up a case regarding the incident, suspected that the bus caught fire due to a short circuit in the batteries. They are awaiting an expert report to confirm the cause.
A senior BMTC officer said the bus was procured in 2014 from a leading manufacturer. The vehicle was used extensively during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was in regular operation after the relaxation of restrictions.
On January 21, a BMTC bus caught fire in Chamarajpet. That vehicle was also procured during the same time as the bus gutted in Tuesday’s fire.
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Published 01 February 2022, 19:37 IST