TV
Panic gripped passengers travelling on an Ama Bus after the vehicle suddenly caught fire on National Highway-16 near Gadakharada Square in Khordha district on Thursday afternoon.
The bus, which was heading from Jagatpur in Cuttack towards Rameswar, was completely gutted in the blaze. Fortunately, all passengers managed to escape unharmed.
Fire Breaks Out Mid-Route
Passengers and eyewitnesses said the incident occurred around noon when smoke started billowing from the engine compartment. The driver quickly halted the bus on the roadside and, along with the staff, urged the passengers to disembark. Nearly 40 people were on board at the time.
“As soon as the driver stopped, everyone rushed out. Within a few minutes, the entire bus was in flames,” recounted one of the passengers, who credited the swift action of the crew for averting a tragedy.
Blaze Reduced Bus To Shell
Reports added that soon after the passengers alighted from the bus, the vehicle was engulfed in flames. Three fire tenders were pressed into service, and it took close to 30 minutes to fully douse the fire.
The bus, however, was reduced to a charred shell, leaving only its metal frame on the roadside. Traffic on the busy highway was briefly disrupted as fire tenders and police personnel managed the situation and cleared the route for other vehicles.
As of the last reports, no CRUT official had arrived on the spot and no comments could be obtained from them.
Series Of Mishaps Involving Ama Bus
The latest incident adds to a string of recent mishaps involving Ama Bus services across Odisha. Last month, a collision between an Ama Bus and a car carrying tourists from West Bengal at Mangala Ghat Square in Puri left multiple people injured and caused long traffic jams.
In Cuttack, two separate cases in July drew sharp public attention. On July 19, an eight-year-old schoolgirl narrowly survived when her bicycle came under the wheels of an Ama Bus near Sati Choura Square. Just days earlier, on July 14, a motorcyclist lost his life instantly after being hit by an Ama Bus near Barang Block Chhak.
