Narrow escape for 19 passengers as tourist bus catches fire in Sundernagar

In a dramatic incident near Pung at Sundernagar in Mandi district, 19 passengers had a narrow escape after a 21-seater tourist bus suddenly caught fire. The blaze broke out around 3:40 pm, causing panic among the passengers. Fortunately, all managed to evacuate safely before the vehicle was engulfed in flames.

Dinesh Sagar, Fire Officer at Sundernagar BSL Fire Service, said fire brigade personnel responded swiftly to the distress call and managed to control the blaze. However, the bus was completely gutted despite their quick efforts.

The Sundernagar police also reached the spot promptly. DSP Bharat Bhushan confirmed that all tourists were safe and an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire. While no injuries were reported, the incident has raised serious concerns about the safety standards and fire preparedness of tourist vehicles. Authorities are now urging transport operators to conduct regular safety checks to prevent such incidents.

Himachal Tribune