HYDERABAD: Panic gripped commuters at the Mehdipatnam bus stand on Tuesday morning after a TGSRTC bus caught fire following a short circuit. Fortunately, no passengers were on board at the time and no injuries were reported.
According to officials, the incident occurred around 9.15 am when the bus, from Mehdipatnam depot, failed to restart after completing its trip from Moinabad.
About 40 passengers had already alighted before the driver attempted to move the vehicle out of the bay. While carrying out minor repairs, a sudden short circuit sparked flames, officials said.
The driver immediately informed the fire authorities, who rushed to the spot and prevented the blaze from spreading, averting a major mishap. However, over 50% of the bus was gutted. Later, police and depot officials inspected the site.
Authorities confirmed that the fire was brought under control, ensuring there was no disruption to other bus operations at the Mehdipatnam stand. An inquiry into the technical failure is underway.