A Bengaluru-bound private electric bus went up in flames on Friday morning after another bus hit it from behind, near Poonamallee. As a result, vehicular traffic was disrupted on the Chennai-Bengaluru National Highway in the morning.
Eight persons were travelling in the bus, besides the crew. A government-run bus, which was moving ahead of the private bus, suddenly slowed down forcing the driver of the electric bus to apply brakes all of a sudden to avoid a collision. But another private bus, carrying 26 passengers, hit the electric bus from behind. In the impact, the battery in the rear side of the bus got ignited and caught fire. Immediately, the passengers and crew members of both buses were evacuated. No one was injured in the accident.
The police said bus driver Ambaresh and others attempted to put out the fire with water from a tanker lorry. The electric bus was gutted while the other bus got damaged partially. Fire and Rescue Services personnel from Sriperumpudur and Irunkattukottai rushed to the spot.
Traffic Investigation Police, Poonamallee, have registered a case.
‘Probe is on’
Meanwhile, Green Cell Mobility, the transportation firm operating the electric bus, in a statement, said: “Due to our rigorous safety measures and the prompt response of our well-trained staff, we were able to disembark the passengers in time. Disembarked passengers received prompt assistance in reaching their destinations. Our buses are in full compliance with the Central Motor Vehicles Act, and have travelled over 5 crore km without any previous fire incident. We are conducting a thorough investigation into the cause of the incident, and we are committed to taking all necessary measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.”
