At least 40 passengers were evacuated after a Gurugram Metropolitan City Bus Limited (GMCBL) bus caught fire on Old Delhi-Gurugram Road on Thursday, fire department officials said.
Fire officials said the incident took place at 10 am, following which a fire tender from Udyog Vihar fire station was dispatched to the spot. Another fire tender from the Sector 18 plant had also reached the spot.
According to a GMCBL official, the CNG bus carrying around 40 passengers was moving towards Dundahera. Near the Sirhaul turn, the driver noticed smoke coming out of the engine compartment at the back when he reached the Sirhaul turn.
“The bus stopped while he was pulling it to the side of the road. All the passengers were told to get down from the front gate. Within seconds, the flames spread, and the entire bus was engulfed in fire, reducing it to ashes,” the official said.
GMCBL officials said a short circuit might have occurred in the engine bay.
They said the crew attempted to douse the flames with an onboard fire extinguisher but could not open the engine cover due to excessive smoke and heat.
Ram Karan Sharma, in-charge of Udyog Vihar fire station, said the two fire tenders doused the flame after almost half an hour.
{{/usCountry}}Ram Karan Sharma, in-charge of Udyog Vihar fire station, said the two fire tenders doused the flame after almost half an hour.
{{/usCountry}}“The traffic on the lane towards Dundahera had to be diverted as a precautionary measure. The road was cleared after 50 minutes,” he said.
GMCBL officials, meanwhile, said that a detailed technical investigation will be carried out to find the cause of the short circuit.
At least four GMCBL buses were either partially or completely charred after catching fire that erupted from the engine bay between April 2023 and April this year.