The driver of a 17-seater passenger van in the city had a narrow escape when his vehicle burned down, reportedly after a fire was triggered by a short circuit in the electrical cable system. Subeesh had just parked the van a little away from a petrol pump in Thevara when he sensed some acrid smell coming out of the engine space. He opened the bonnet to investigate when the fire was noticed. Within a few seconds, the fire engulfed the vehicle and by the time Subeesh sought help to douse the fire, the van was in flames, said Samar, a friend of the driver.
He said that the van was on a routine trip to Willingdon Island to pick up passengers when the incident took place. The Thevara police, who looked into the incident, said that no case had been registered in this regard and that no complaints had been received.
