Jaipur, May 20 (IANS) A major tragedy was narrowly averted after a private travel agency bus travelling from Jodhpur (Rajasthan) to Bengaluru (Karnataka) caught fire near the D-Mart outlet on Pali Road, triggering panic among passengers.

Thanks to the driver’s prompt response and presence of mind, all 16 passengers were safely evacuated before the flames engulfed the vehicle. The incident took place on Tuesday night when the MR Travels bus had just crossed Jhalamand and was heading out of the city limits.

According to police, sparks suddenly began emerging from the engine section, causing panic inside the bus as passengers noticed flames and smoke spreading rapidly. Demonstrating remarkable alertness, the driver immediately pulled the bus to the roadside and evacuated all passengers through the main exit within moments.

While most passengers managed to save their belongings, some luggage was completely destroyed in the blaze. The fire quickly spread through the vehicle, reducing most of the bus to ashes before firefighters could fully contain it.

According to Vivek Vihar Police Station SHO Dilip Khadav, police and fire brigade teams rushed to the spot immediately after receiving information about the incident.

Chief Fire Officer Jalaj Ghasia said the fire alert was received, following which two fire tenders from Basni Fire Station and one from Shastri Nagar Fire Station were dispatched under the supervision of Officer Prashant Singh Chauhan. After nearly half an hour of intense firefighting efforts, the blaze was brought under control. Traffic movement on Pali Road remained disrupted for around 30 minutes during the operation.

Police later removed the burnt bus from the road with the help of a crane and shifted it to the Vivek Vihar Police Station premises for further investigation.

Preliminary findings suggest the fire may have originated due to overheating or a short circuit near the engine wiring.

Officials said the bus belonged to the Euro-6 category, and similar engine-area fire incidents involving such buses have reportedly surfaced in other states as well. A detailed technical investigation by the fire brigade team is now underway to ascertain the exact cause of the fire.

–IANS

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