VIJAYAWADA: Passengers travelling in an RTC bus had a narrow escape when the bus caught fire after hitting a lorry on Sunday. No casualties were reported as the passengers rushed out immediately on noticing the fire.
The incident occurred at around 9 a.m. when the bus belonging to Guntur bus depot was on its way to Vishakapatnam. The bus caught fumes after it hit a lorry near Benz Circle. The fire broke out as the fuel leaked from the bus and came in contact with the scorching engine.
The passengers complained that the accident happened due to the negligence of the driver. The main entry door was stuck after the accident and didn’t open for quite some time. The people outside managed to open the emergency door.Traffic police and locals doused the fire. Traffic on the national highway came to a standstill for some time.
Kantha Rao, who witnessed the mishap said, “It is written on the RTC bus to keep a minimum distance of 50 yards. The drivers are not even maintaining five yards.”
Speaking to Express K.Srinivasa Rao, South Zone ACP, who visited the spot said, “The traffic police immediately responded and doused the fire. Another bus had been arranged to take the passengers to their destinations.”