Anakapalli: A major tragedy was narrowly averted late Thursday night when a private sleeper bus caught fire and was reduced to ashes on National Highway 16 near Regupalem Junction in Yelamanchili Mandal of Anakapalli district.
The bus was traveling from Bhubaneswar to Chennai when the incident occurred. Thanks to the driver’s quick thinking and the vehicle’s automated warning systems, all 35 passengers on board managed to escape just minutes before the vehicle was entirely engulfed in flames.
According to eyewitnesses, the vehicle had briefly stopped at a roadside eatery for dinner. Shortly after resuming the journey toward Chennai via Visakhapatnam, most of the passengers had fallen fast asleep. The calm was shattered as the bus entered the Anakapalli district limits. Thick smoke began billowing from the front-left engine compartment, instantly triggering the bus’s automatic safety alarm.
Maintaining his composure, the driver immediately pulled the bus to the side of the highway and hurriedly evacuated all the sleeping passengers before the flames engulfed the vehicle.
On being informed, local police and firefighters arrived at the scene. Three fire tenders were pressed into service to bring the blaze under control and prevent the flames from spreading to nearby vegetation or passing traffic. Despite their efforts to douse the fire, the bus was completely gutted, leaving behind only a charred metallic skeleton.
“A major tragedy was averted, and many lives were potentially saved thanks to the driver’s timely response,” noted Anakapalli Rural Circle Inspector (CI) Nunjay during a media briefing.
Alternative travel arrangements were made for the passengers to reach Chennai.
The CI added that a short circuit in the bus’s engine wiring is suspected to be the cause of the fire.
