BENGALURU: A private air-conditioned sleeper bus caught fire after a tyre burst around 2.30 am on the Bengaluru-Anantapur highway near Garladinne. The bus was on its way from Bengaluru to Raichur and fortunately, all 36 passengers on board managed to escape safely.
The bus left Bengaluru around 10.30 pm for Raichur from near Ananda Rao Circle and was about 200 km from its destination when the incident occurred.
The passengers were terrified as the bus was filled with smoke, and they started suffocating. The driver, however, seemed to be unaware of the situation and continued driving the bus for about half a kilometer before stopping. The passengers were forced to jump out of the bus to save themselves.
A female passenger’s presence of mind, even in her sleep, averted a tragedy. Students’ education certificates and expensive items belonging those who were going home for a festival were burnt to ashes.
Despite a female passenger informing the driver about the smell of fire as soon as she boarded the bus, the staff was negligent. The incident has sparked outrage among the passengers, who have demanded action against the Green Line Travels bus company. The passengers lost their belongings, including valuable documents and expensive items, in the fire. A replacement bus was arranged for the passengers to continue their journey.
The cause of the fire is believed to be a technical issue, and an investigation is under way.
