BMTC’s electric bus catches fire in rain, passengers safe

BENGALURU: An electric bus operated by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) caught fire near Kempapura when it was on its way from Tin Factory to Goraguntepalya on late on Monday night. Luckily, there were no injuries reported among the passengers, the driver, or the conductor.

Around 10.50 pm, the electric bus (KA 41 D 2679) operating on route number 500QA/9, lost power as it approached Kempapura and came to a stop. Driver Dasharath and conductor Narasimha Raju ensured the safety of the passengers by transferring them to another bus. Later, they checked the bus and noticed smoke emanating from the rear of the bus and immediately alerted JBM Company,

However, the bus caught fire and fire tenders arrived on the scene and extinguished the flames. BMTC’s night patrol staff also reached the location to assist with the situation. The JBM Company representatives took the bus to Kengeri for further inspection and assessment, according to a statement.

Smoke was first noticed in the rear of the bus.

BMTC said it is conducting a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the fire and added that the preliminary cause was waterlogging on the roads which led to an electric circuit issue.

BMTC also said that passenger safety remains the highest priority. “We are deeply committed to ensuring the safety and reliability of our fleet. We are working closely with JBM Company to prevent any future incidents and enhance our safety protocols”, the transport utility said in a statement.

The corporation said it encourages passengers to report any unusual observations to the bus crew immediately. A helpline is being set up to address passenger concerns and provide information related to the incidents, it added.