Visakhapatnam: A potential tragedy was averted on Thursday morning when a bus , belonging to Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC), went up in flames near Oddavalasa village on the Andhra Pradesh–Odisha ghat road.
According to sources, the bus, en route to Jeypore from Visakhapatnam, caught fire while climbing up the Salur ghat at around 7.45 am near Roddavalasa in Pachipenta Mandal of Partvatipuram Manyam district. The alert bus driver immediately brought the bus to a halt, allowing panic-stricken passengers to evacuate safely, before the flames engulfed the entire vehicle. There were only five passengers on board at the time of the accident.
An electric short circuit is suspected to have led to the mishap in which the bus was completely gutted despite efforts by Fire Service personnel from the nearby station douse the flames.
Police in the neighbouring state have registered a case and begun an investigation to ascertain the exact cause of the fire.
This comes close on the heels of a tragic bus fire near Kurnool town of Andhra Pradesh on October 24 in which 19 people were charred to death after a motorcycle collision.