Bus catches fire near toll plaza in Andhra, passengers safe

Kovvuru (Andhra Pradesh), Jan 7 (PTI) A Visakhapatnam-bound bus caught fire in the early hours of Wednesday, near the Gaman Bridge toll plaza in East Godavari district, police said on Wednesday.

Thanks to the driver's quick thinking, all 10 passengers and crew members were evacuated before the vehicle was engulfed in flames.

The fire broke out as the bus approached the toll plaza around 2 am.

"No injuries or casualties were reported," a police official told PTI.

According to police, the driver suggested that a technical fault in the dynamo triggered the fire.

After the bus halted near the toll plaza, the driver inspected the engine and noticed the sparks. He immediately alerted those on board, who quickly got down.

Police said the driver's swift response helped avert a major mishap.

The crew managed to evacuate the passengers along with the luggage in 10 minutes, police said.

Alternative transport arrangements were made for the affected passengers while officials regulated traffic and initiated a technical inspection to determine the exact cause of the fire. PTI MS STH ROH