Bus with 42 Umrah pilgrims bursts into flames near Kannur airport; driver and football fans save the day

Kannur: Forty-two Umrah pilgrims from Mananthavady had a narrow escape after the bus carrying them to Kannur International Airport caught fire near Sivapuram in the early hours of Tuesday. The driver noticed a burning smell and pulled over to inspect the vehicle, only to discover flames at the rear.

He quickly evacuated all the sleeping passengers, while youths who were awake to watch the FIFA World Cup match joined the rescue effort, helping move the luggage to safety. The pilgrims later boarded another bus, travelling with the group and reached the airport in time to catch their 6:00 am flight to Saudi Arabia.

Mattanur Fire Station received the distress call at 1:59 am, and a fire engine reached Sivapuram, about 10 km from Kannur International Airport, within seven minutes. "By the time we arrived, the bus was engulfed in flames, and the fire had started spreading to a nearby shop. Our priority was to contain the fire at the shop and prevent it from spreading further," said Shajimon T P, Senior Fire and Rescue Officer.

The Mattanur team called in reinforcements from the Kuthuparamba Fire Station. Firefighters said the extensive use of rexine in the bus's upholstery fuelled the flames.

Two buses carrying Umrah pilgrims left Tharuvana near Mananthavady around midnight for Kannur International Airport, about 80 km away. The journey was expected to take around two hours.

As the bus reached Sivapuram, the driver said he noticed a burning smell and pulled over to inspect the vehicle. "But we also found signs of a tyre burst on the road. It is not clear whether that triggered the fire," said Shajimon.

The officer credited the driver for preventing what could have been a major tragedy. "He did the right thing by immediately waking up the passengers and getting all 42 of them off the bus through the narrow door," he said. Football fans who had been staying awake waiting for the France-Iraq World Cup match rushed to the scene and helped move the passengers' luggage to safety. Within minutes, flames engulfed the entire bus.

A resident said that the call to the Fire Station was made only after all the passengers and their belongings had been moved to safety. "There was very little time. The priority was to save the people first," the officer said. Only the bus owner suffered a financial loss. None of the passengers lost any belongings.

The Talipparamba-registered Leyland Viking bus had recently been sold to a buyer from Mananthavady, though the ownership transfer had not yet been completed. "The vehicle is still registered in the name of its previous owner, Noushad of Talipparamba," said Shajimon.

The estimated loss is ₹49 lakh. The vehicle was insured. Maloor Police have registered a case and begun an inquiry into the cause of the fire.