Mangu Khila, a Congress lawmaker in Odisha state, also escaped a serious accident with 36 other passengers in the bus they were travelling in when it caught fire in an end-of-day trip. The accident occurred on the outskirts of Ramabhadrapuram of Andhra Pradesh during the bus-run between the cities of Bhubaneswar and Nabarangpur.
Police claimed that the fire originated in the back tyre of the bus when most of the passengers were asleep. The driver was quick to respond and saw the flames and immediately stopped the car. He woke up the occupants, opened the doors and windows and helped to vacate the occupants before the fire could extend.
Khila later narrated how the driver responded in time and how people on board made the difference in preventing what would have been a fatal accident. In several minutes, the car was engulfed in the fire and it became a burnt shell even with the efforts of fire services people arriving on the scene.
There was no casualty or injury fortunately. The government assured that all the passengers and the crew were safely evacuated. The passengers who were stuck were later arranged to be taken to continue their travel in a different bus.
The police have started a probe to find the exact cause of the fire, with the initial suspicion being raised on mechanical fault in the tyre. Authorities stressed that the accident boasts the relevance of car care and immediate response to emergencies in avoiding calamities.
Passengers are also concerned that the close call happened, but they are also relieved that a major tragedy was avoided.