Bus blaze in Bengaluru: Engine fire destroys vehicle in minutes; quick-thinking crew saves 50 lives

BENGALURU: Over 50 passengers narrowly escaped after a Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus caught fire near the HAL bus stop on Monday at around 5:10 am. The incident occurred while the bus was operating on the KBS–Kadugodi route.Officials said that the fire started in the engine compartment and rapidly spread, engulfing the entire vehicle. Demonstrating presence of mind, bus driver Jayachandra and conductor Chowdappa swiftly evacuated all passengers before the flames could spread further.

No injuries were reported in the incident.The bus crew immediately alerted emergency services. Fire and emergency personnel arrived at the scene and managed to extinguish the fire.

However, the bus was completely gutted by the time the blaze was brought under control.A team led by BMTC’s chief mechanical engineer visited the spot.A BMTC official said, “The bus is a BS-VI model and around 3 to 4 years old. It is said that the fire began in the engine compartment. The crew acted swiftly and ensured all passengers were safely evacuated. No injuries were reported. BMTC inducted 860 BS-VI buses into its fleet a couple of years ago. This incident has raised fresh concerns about vehicle maintenance.”