Narrow escape for passengers as Odisha RTC bus catches fire

Abus of the Road Transport Corporation (RTC) of Odisha was gutted in a fire in Parvathipuram Manyam district on Thursday. There were no casualties.

A major disaster was averted as the alert driver immediately stopped the bus after noticing smoke, and all passengers safely alighted before the flames engulfed the entire vehicle.

The accident occurred around 7.45 am near Roddavalasa in Pachipenta mandal of Partvathipuram Manyam district.

The Odisha RTC bus was on its way from Visakhapatnam to Jeypore in Odisha. There were only five passengers at the time of the accident on the Andhra-Odisha ghat road.

According to police, the bus driver noticed smoke coming out from the engine and immediately stopped the bus. He alerted the passengers, who all alighted.

A fire engine rushed to the spot to douse the fire. However, by the time the fire engine reached there, the bus had been completely gutted.

The cause of the fire was not known. Police registered a case and took up an investigation.

Minister for women and child development and tribal welfare Gummidi Sandhya Rani spoke to officials and enquired about the accident. She directed officials to conduct an inquiry and submit the report.