A private travel bus caught fire on National Highway-44 near Malleboyinapalli in Jadcherla. All 45 passengers managed to escape safely due to their alertness.
HYDERABAD: A private travel bus on National Highway-44 was completely gutted in a fire near Malleboyinapalli in Jadcherla mandal. Due to the alertness of the passengers, all 45 individuals on board managed to escape safely.
According to passengers and police reports, the incident occurred when a Salim Travels bus, travelling from Bengaluru to Hyderabad, caught fire early in the morning. The bus, which departed Bengaluru at 11:00 PM on Sunday with 45 passengers, was moving smoothly until around 4:30 AM when it reached Jadcherla mandal in Mahabubnagar district. About five kilometres from the accident spot, one of the bus’s tyres burst. Despite this, the driver continued to drive at the same speed on the remaining tyres.
Passengers Alert Driver About Fire
Shortly after, passengers noticed flames at the rear of the bus and immediately alerted the driver. The driver stopped the vehicle near Malleboyinapalli, and all passengers quickly disembarked. By then, the fire had spread rapidly, engulfing the rear section of the bus.
Initially, passengers attempted to douse the flames using soil from the roadside. As the fire intensified, they moved away from the vehicle. Nearby, a petrol bunk had fire safety equipment, which was also used in an attempt to control the blaze, but to no avail.
Luggage Destroyed, Firefighters Arrive
The fire caused an explosion in the bus’s air-conditioning system, leading to the complete destruction of passenger luggage. Shortly after, firefighters arrived at the scene and managed to bring the flames under control.
Upon receiving information, Jadcherla police reached the location and cleared the traffic congestion caused by the incident. Passengers stated that the fire was a result of the driver’s negligence. They emphasized that if they had not been alert, the situation could have turned disastrous. “It was only by God’s grace that we survived,” some passengers remarked.
Despite the significant loss of luggage, the fact that all passengers escaped unharmed came as a relief to everyone involved.
