30 passengers escape as bus catches fire

As many as 30 passengers, two drivers and a cleaner were safely evacuated after an un-air-conditioned sleeper bus operated by SRS Travels caught fire on National Highway-48 near Kyatasandra during wee hours of Saturday.

The incident occurred around 5.30 am when the bus was heading to Bengaluru. Sparks in the engine triggered the fire, said the police.

The bus plies between Kembhavi in Surpur district and Bengaluru. A few passengers spotted sparks and raised an alarm. The driver immediately halted the bus. The passengers quickly deboarded the bus, added the police.

As it was dawn, most passengers were awake and hence managed to get down, said
the police.

On being alerted, fire tenders reached the spot within no time as the fire force office was closely by.

“I was sleeping on an upper seat. As soon as I spotted the fire, I raised an alarm and quickly jumped out. As I fell down, there was fracture on my hand. I am being treated at a hospital in Bengaluru,” Sanganagouda Patil, a policeman from Talahalli in Surpur taluk told DH. Losses due to fire mishap is estimated to be around Rs 25 lakh.