The fire which broke out in an MTC bus at Little Mount during the morning hours of peak rush, caused panic among the 50-odd commuters in the vehicle, here on Friday.
Sources said the MTC route 54 D bus plying between Poonamallee and Broadway was headed towards Broadway with about 50 passengers when the incident occurred.
Around 10 am, when the bus was approaching Saidapet, the driver saw smoke emanating from the engine and stopped the vehicle. The passengers panicked and jumped out of the bus from the windows and doors.
The driver alerted MTC officials and fire personnel from the Raj Bhavan Fire Station arrived at the spot.
However, by the time they reached the place, the entire engine was in flames. Station Fire Officer Rajendran told Express that the fire could have been started because of an electrical short-circuit in wiring. The sparks caused fire in the heated engine and the oil residue on the engine parts.
“Had the blaze not been controlled before it engulfed the tyres, the entire bus could have been charred,” he noted.
The stranded passengers were then taken to their destinations by another bus sent by MTC.
Meanwhile, a car went up in flames near Madhya Kailash on Thursday evening.