KSRTC bus on budget trip to Gavi catches fire in Kottayam; passengers safe
The incident happened at Kunnathupuzha, Pazhayidam, near Manimala, while the bus was en route to Gavi via Ranni.
The incident happened at Kunnathupuzha, Pazhayidam, near Manimala, while the bus was en route to Gavi via Ranni.
The incident happened at Kunnathupuzha, Pazhayidam, near Manimala, while the bus was en route to Gavi via Ranni.
Kottayam: A KSRTC bus was gutted entirely by fire in Kottayam in the early hours of Wednesday, though all passengers escaped unhurt. The Super Deluxe bus (KL 15 A 208) from the Malappuram depot was carrying 28 passengers — all natives of Malappuram — on a budget tour organised by KSRTC to Gavi in Pathanamthitta.
The incident happened at Kunnathupuzha, Pazhayidam, near Manimala, while the bus was en route to Gavi via Ranni. Passengers noticed smoke emerging from the left rear tyre and immediately alerted the driver, who stopped the vehicle. The occupants, including women and children, evacuated the bus in time and removed their luggage before the blaze spread.
A Fire and Rescue Services team from the Kanjirappally fire station reached the spot following an alert received at 3.55 am from the Ponkunnam police station. “The location was around 17 km away. When we arrived, the bus was fully engulfed in flames. The fire was doused immediately,” said Sudarshanan, an official from the Kanjirappally Fire Station.
"The bus was completely destroyed, with only three tyres, the diesel tank and the battery remaining intact. No injuries were reported," the official added. KSRTC later arranged another bus from the Ponkunnam depot, enabling the passengers to continue their journey to Gavi.