Fire erupts in KSRTC Airavat bus engine, passengers safe

Vehicular movement was hindered due to the incident.

Uppinangady: Fire erupted in the engine of a KSRTC Airavat bus coming from Bengaluru to Mangaluru, at Uppinangady on National Highway 75 on Thursday morning.

Passengers traveling in the bus are safe.

The fire was doused by the driver and conductor of the bus, with the help of the local people.

When the bus reached Uppinangady at 6:30 am on Thursday, at Subrahmanya curve, there was smoke inside the bus. When the bus was stopped, the fire intensified in the engine.

Panchayat staff Isaac and Iqbaal along with friends Snake Zakariya, Siddik Koppal and Joy rushed to the scene and doused the fire by throwing water and sand from the river bank. At the time, they were seeing the flood situation in the river, by standing on the road side.

The bus had started off from Bengaluru on Wednesday night at 10.30 pm and due to traffic congestion in Shiradi ghat, there was a three hour delay. When it reached Uppinangady, the fire had erupted.

The passengers in the bus were sent in another bus, said Airavat bus conductor Ashok Jadhav.

Soon after the fire was spotted, the bus was parked on the road. Traffic movement was affected due to this.

The vehicles lined up on the road for about one km on both sides of the road.