HYDERABAD: An alert driver of a TSRTC electric bus averted tragedy after the AC unit of the vehicle caught fire near the Begumpet Airport, when it was on its way to Jubilee Bus Station from Shamshabad.
On noticing smoke emanating from the AC unit mounted on the roof of the bus, the driver stopped it and alerted the passengers to get down and move away from the spot. All passengers alighted safely.
On receiving information, the police and a fire tender reached the spot and doused the flame. The short circuit is suspected to have caused the fire. In February this year, two APSRTC e-buses were reduced to ashes in a fire that broke out when a battery was being repaired at Gumpula in the Suryapet district.
A Vennala service bus, an electric vehicle, was carrying passengers from Hyderabad, stopped at Gumpula village. Another APSRTC e-bus was brought to Gumpula to repair the first one. When this was on, the battery of the first bus burst into flames which spread to another vehicle.