Bhubaneswar: A disaster was averted late Thursday night when a private bus, carrying approximately 40 passengers, caught fire on National Highway 26 near Baladiamal Chowk in Kalahandi district.
In a miraculous turn of events, all passengers were safely evacuated, and no injuries were reported.
According to reports, the bus, named Gourav, was traveling from Damanjodi in Koraput to Rourkela when the driver noticed smoke emanating from the vehicle. Realizing the imminent danger, the driver acted swiftly, bringing the bus to a halt and evacuating all passengers within moments.
Within five minutes of the evacuation, the vehicle was completely engulfed in flames. The fire spread rapidly, leaving the bus in ruins and destroying the passengers’ belongings.
A fire brigade team from Junagarh rushed to the scene, followed by another team from Dharmagarh, which worked tirelessly to control the blaze.
While the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
