Close shave for 12 as CNG bus catches fire
At least 12 passengers had a narrow escape after a CNG bus of the Bawana Sector 5 depot caught fire near the Mori Gate roundabout in Central Delhi on Friday morning, officials said. The bus that caught fire operated under the cluster scheme of the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS).
According to DMTS officials, a CNG bus from the Bawana Sector 5 depot suddenly caught fire in the morning reportedly due to a technical snag. The alert driver stopped the bus and all 12 passengers on board were evacuated safely.
Fire tenders and the police were informed about the incident. By the time fire tenders arrived, the bus had been completely gutted.
Officials suspect that an electric short-circuit could be the reason behind the fire, but the exact cause will only be ascertained after an investigation.
According to the bus conductor, the bus was en route from Narela to Mori Gate when he noticed a technical snag, leading to fire.
“I immediately informed the depot staff about the snag. They advised me to stop near Mori Gate for a technical check. As soon as I halted, a passenger alerted me about the fire. We quickly opened all doors and evacuated everyone,” the conductor added.
The employees’ union has expressed serious concern over the incident as they pose significant threat to passenger safety and urged the Transport Department to take this seriously and immediately investigate the cause of bus fires, ensuring such incidents do not occur in the future.
Previous incidents in public transport buses
October 5: An electric bus caught fire near Majnu Ka Tila in Delhi. Though the bus was completely destroyed, no passengers were injured in the incident.
October 4: A bus caught fire at a Dhaula Kuan bus stop after a collision with a motorcycle. All passengers were safely evacuated from the bus after the mishap.
August 30: A bus fire in Jagatpuri led to a major traffic jam. The cause was attributed to a short circuit in the air-conditioning system, and all passengers were evacuated safely.
Delhi