Cuttack Mo Bus fire: CRUT begins probe, deploys fact-finding committee

Hours after a Mo Bus caught fire in Cuttack at Khapuria Square while returning to the Silver City from Bhubaneswar, the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) released a press note on Saturday night detailing the events of the tragedy.

The brief notice stated that Dr. Thirumala Naik, Managing Director of CRUT along with its General Manager, Sanjay Biswal, and other senior officials visited the site of the tragedy to take stock of the situation and have begun a probe into the mishap.

As per reports, at about 9:30 to 10 PM on Saturday night, a Mo Bus bearing the registration number, OD 33 U 7111 abruptly burst into flames at the busy Khapuria-Madhupatna Chhak road of Cuttack. Fortunately, the bus was reportedly empty and no casualties were reported.

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As a cautionary measure, CRUT has deployed a fact-finding committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner of Transport to inquire into the incident while stationing a technical team at the site for preliminary investigation.

The probe team is comprised of a Motor Vehicle Inspector, CRUT’s Manager of Operations and Depot, and the bus operator, stated the press release. While the exact cause of the fire is currently under investigation, the preliminary indications suggest a possible electrical fault.

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Incidentally, sources stated that passengers and shopkeepers nearby pointed out the fire from the bus’ engine before it was completely engulfed by flames. Firefighters arrived promptly at the scene and extinguished the fire in the empty bus.