SEONI (MP): A major mishap was averted on Wednesday when an alert driver of a private bus, with 50 passengers on board, noticed smoke on the rear side of the vehicle and got it evacuated, minutes before it went up in flames. No casualties were reported, with all the passengers escaping unhurt.
Soon after noticing smoke, the driver immediately applied the brakes and asked the passengers to evacuate it immediately, said SHO Bandol Police Station, Laxman Singh Jharia.
The villagers tried to douse the flames with the help of water, however, the raging fire engulfed the entire bus and reduced it to a burnt metal ball, he said.
The bus was on its way to Jabalpur from Seoni when the mishap took place on NH-7 near Rahiwada village, said Jharia.
The cause of the fire apparently appears to be some technical fault in the brake system as it started from the rear tyres, he said, adding further investigations are on.