Ulavapadu (Andhra Pradesh), May 15 (PTI) A private travels bus from Hyderabad to Tirupati caught fire here in Prakasam district in the wee hours of Friday, but the alert driver quickly evacuated passengers, avoiding a major accident, police said.
Prakasam district superintendent of police (SP) V Harsha Vardhan Raju said the fire broke out around 3 am at Rajupalem Centre within Ulavapadu limits.
“The driver promptly pulled the vehicle to the roadside margin to investigate. During this inspection a tyre burst (occurred) and small flames became visible,” Raju told PTI.
The driver immediately initiated the evacuation of all passengers, around 30 of them, and their luggage, ensuring they were moved to a safe distance from the bus, said the SP.
Approximately 20 minutes after the evacuation, the flames intensified, engulfing the entire bus and resulting in its complete destruction, he said.
Meanwhile, all the stranded passengers were subsequently shifted to other buses to continue their journeys, Raju added.
A series of ghastly bus accidents occurred in the southern state in the past eight months, claiming 45 lives, including burning 33 to death, and injuring several others. PTI STH SA
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