Narrow escape for passengers as TGSRTC electric bus catches fire, cash reward announced for bus driver for averting a major tragedy

Passengers and crew flee unscathed as driver acts quickly to halt the bus and summon help

KARIMNAGAR

Nearly 39 passengers and the crew of a TGSRTC electric (e-SL) bus had a narrow escape when the vehicle caught fire at Algunur near Karimnagar on the Rajiv Rahadari (State Highway-1) on Sunday.

Upon noticing fumes from the HV battery compartment, the driver, B. Prashanth, immediately stopped the Hyderabad-bound bus along the roadside and alerted the passengers.

All the occupants of the bus managed to alight safely just minutes before the bus was engulfed in flames.

The driver attempted to extinguish the fire using two fire extinguishers on the bus, but in vain. The driver’s swift action helped avert a major tragedy.

By the time a fire tender reached the spot and doused the fire, the electric bus had been almost completely gutted, sources said.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

The LMD Colony police have registered a case and launched an investigation.

Meanwhile, the TGSRTC officials, including executive directors R. Venkanna and P. Solomon, and Regional Manager, Karimnagar, B. Raju, inspected the accident site.

They announced a cash reward of ₹5,000 for the bus driver in appreciation of his swift action in safely evacuating the passengers from the bus.