As many as 38 passengers of a Hyderabad-bound private bus from Chennai had a miraculous escape when the bus they were travelling in caught fire at Chagallu, near Ulavapadu in Prakasam district in the wee hours of Wednesday. Transport Minister Sidda Raghava Rao, who rushed to the spot along with IT Minister P. Raghunatha Reddy, announced a comprehensive probe by the Deputy Transport Commissioner into the mishap. “We will take all steps to prevent recurrence of such mishaps,” they added.
Noticing smoke emanating from the hi-tech bus, a woman passenger who was talking on her mobile phone, alerted the driver and co-driver who forced all the passengers to get down from the vehicle, said Superintendent of Police Ch. Srikanth. A fire tender from Tangutur rushed to the spot and put out the fire.
All the passengers escaped unhurt but some of them lost their valuables including jewellery, silk sarees and laptops. A newly-married woman complained to the Ulavapadu police that she had lost her gold ornaments and silk sarees worth Rs 10 lakh in the fire. Police arranged for safe journey of passengers to their destinations.
“Prima facie, electric short circuit is suspected to have caused the fire”, the SP said.
Hyderabad-bound bus catches fire in Prakasam district