A bus travelling from Gwalior to Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh suddenly caught fire on Saturday night, sending its roughly 25 passengers into a panic and forcing them to jump out to save their lives.
The incident took place near Vivekanand Crossing in the Chetak Puri area of Gwalior, from where the video coach bus had set out for Bhopal. Smoke and flames are said to have erupted from the bus suddenly along the way, sending every passenger on board into a state of fear.
Passengers Leap to Safety as Flames Spread
For the nearly 25 people on board, those moments were terrifying. The fire spread rapidly, leaving passengers with no option but to get out however they could. One after another, they jumped off the bus to escape. Fortunately, no one was killed or seriously injured in the incident. However, the bags, clothes and other belongings passengers were carrying were completely destroyed, reduced to ashes within minutes.
Driver and Cleaner Accused of Abandoning Passengers
Following the fire, passengers raised serious allegations against the bus's driver and cleaner. They claimed the bus had developed a technical problem even before the journey began, which the staff had hastily patched up before setting off. Passengers alleged that the moment smoke was spotted coming from the bus, the driver and cleaner jumped out themselves without warning anyone on board. This left the remaining passengers even more terrified, as they had no idea what was unfolding. Anger was also visible among passengers over the staff quietly abandoning the bus without alerting them.
Bystanders and Off-Duty Police Step In
Passersby, other motorists and a few off-duty police personnel in the area rushed to help as soon as they saw what was happening. They assisted passengers in getting out safely and made early attempts to douse the flames on their own. Fire brigade teams reached the spot shortly after being alerted and worked hard to bring the blaze under control. By the time they succeeded, though, the bus itself had been almost entirely gutted.
