CHENNAI: Panic gripped commuters at the private Omni bus terminus near the busy Koyambedu stretch on Saturday evening when three buses parked at the last platform were destroyed in a fire. A fire officer at the spot said they received information around 4.30 pm that a bus had caught fire at the terminus. Fire service vehicles from Koyambedu and Vadapalani rushed to the spot. Even before the tenders could reach, the flames had spread to two other buses nearby.
Officials from Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, under whose jurisdiction the terminus falls, told Express that the incident occurred around 4.30pm. Weekend traffic at the terminus was hit for about 30 to 35 minutes as firemen battled the blaze. “This is usually an idle parking slot and police are verifying the footage on how the fire started. This is the first time such a blaze occurred at the terminus,” a CMDA official said adding that action will be taken after the police report.
Police said after the fire started, there was a scare. “Immediately after the blaze was noticed, the driver of a bus by its side attempted to move the vehicle. Unfortunately, fire spread to the tyre of his bus also and the driver abandoned the vehicle and ran away,” said a police officer.There were no casualties. A police officer said that the drivers were taking a nap inside a bus when the fire started. They ran out after smoke engulfed the vehicle and alerted the fire station.
CMBT police registered a case and enquiry is on. Meanwhile, police said there was a possibility of the drivers switching on the air-conditioner in the bus for sleeping. “We are enquiring if there was fluctuation in the system that led to fire from the air conditioner vent,” a police officer said. Meanwhile, CCTV footage at the bus terminus is also being scanned by police.