Private Bus Catches Fire at Chityal, All Safe

 Nalgonda: Passengers of a private travels sleeper bus had a lucky escape when it caught fire on National Highway 65 at Pittampally in Chityal mandal, Nalgonda, at about 3 am on Tuesday. The Lahari Travels bus was on its way from Nellore to Hyderabad with 29 passengers.

However, the passengers delayed their exit to collect their belongings. Within a minute of their evacuation, the vehicle was engulfed in flames and completely gutted.

Eerily, on October 24, a fire in another bus, belonging to Vemuri Kaveri Travels, had caught fire also at about 3 am. Nineteen passengers lost their lives in that accident.

The fire began in the driver’s cabin, triggered by a suspected short circuit. As smoke began to fill the cabin, the driver parked the vehicle to a side. He along with the second driver then rushed into the passenger cabin, woke up the travellers and helped them alight from the rear emergency exit. Sources said there was no need for the passengers to break open the windows to exit the vehicle as the evacuation was done quickly.

Firefighters from Chityal were alerted by passing motorists, rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze. Chityal police later arranged alternative transport for the passengers on other buses plying on the route.