BMTC conductor dies after bus catches fire

According to the officials, Muthaiah was sleeping inside the bus parked at Lingadheeranahalli bus stand after completing the night shift when the fire broke out at around 4:45 am on Friday.

A conductor of the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) was charred to death after a parked bus caught fire in Bengaluru on Friday, the police said.

A conductor of the BMTC was charred to death after a parked bus caught fire in Bengaluru (Agencies/Representative use)

Police identified the deceased as Muthaiah Swamy (43), a resident of Hunagunda taluk in Bagalkote district.

According to the officials, Muthaiah was sleeping inside the bus parked at Lingadheeranahalli bus stand after completing the night shift when the fire broke out at around 4:45 am on Friday.

In a statement, the BMTC stated that after parking the bus, with the registration number KA-57-2069, the driver was asleep in the dormitory reserved for the crew at the bus stand, while Muthaiah preferred to sleep inside the bus.

According to deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Lakshman B Nimbaragi, the fire broke out in a BMTC bus belonging to the Sumanahalli bus depot. The bus driver Prakash (39) witnessed the incident first at around 4:45 am.

“Prakash, the bus driver parked the vehicle at the D group stop at around 10:30 PM on Thursday and went to sleep in a restroom at the bus stop, and the conductor slept in the bus,” DCP Lakshman said, adding that the conductor sustained 80% burn injuries.

Following the incident, higher officials rushed to the spot and informed the fire department and called emergency services. Despite their efforts to put out the fire, officials were unable to save the conductor. They later informed Muthaiah’s kin about the incident, officials said.

Muthaiah’s body was sent to Victoria hospital for post-mortem, and a case of accidental fire was taken up by the Byadarahalli police, officials said, adding that the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.