BMTC bus goes up in flames

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: A Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus accidentally caught fire near Basavanapura Gate of Anekal taluk on the outskirts of the city on Monday. According to sources, the incident took place in the afternoon when fire was noticed in a bus bearing registration number KA57-F-0569 was on its way to the Kempegowda Bus Station from Jigani in the Bengaluru Urban district.

Fortunately, the passengers and the staff who were on board were safe as they were made to de-board immediately as the bus caught fire. The staff first used fire extinguishers to control the fire while the emergency personnel who arrived shortly doused it.

The BMTC official later said that it was a minor incident and the bus did not suffer major damage. However it was then taken to Depot 27 (Jigani) after the fire was doused. The BMTC officials said that a probe has been initiated to ascertain the cause of fire in the bus.

Recently, a 43-year old BMTC conductor, Muthaiah Swamy, was charred to death after a parked bus in which he was sleeping caught fire at Lingadheeranahalli bus stop in the South-West division of Bengaluru. Despite an intensified probe, it still has not been ascertained whether his death was a suicide or a murder. The driver of the bus, Prakash, has been questioned by the police multiple times regarding the incident.