COIMBATORE: Around 50 passengers of a TNSTC mofussil bus escaped by a hair’s breadth after the bus burst into flames near Othakkalmandapam on the Pollachi-Coimbatore National Highway on Thursday morning.
Around 7.40 am, while crossing the Othakkalmandapam area, the driver of the bus plying from Pollachi to Coimbatore, K Suresh (42) detected smoke emanating from the engine bay, police said.
He immediately stopped the vehicle at Premier Mill’s bus stop and asked all passengers to leave. When the driver tried to start the bus again, flames spread across the vehicle.
However, he managed to escape, police added. Even though the Kinathukkadavu fire station personnel arrived at the spot, the bus was completely gutted by then, said sources. The reason for fire is to be ascertained. Chettipalayam police are investigating the incident.