DTC bus catches fire, no one hurt

A Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) caught fire in central Delhi on Saturday.

A Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) caught fire in central Delhi on Saturday.

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Although the bus was gutted, fortunately no one was injured in the incident, which could have proved to be fatal and could have caused many casualties.

In 2009, there were 10 different incidents in which Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses either caught fire or smoke bellowed out from them, most of them in the month of November.

The bus that caught fire on Saturday was an old, standard size bus. Most incidents that occurred last year involved Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC’s) state-of-the-art low floor buses.

The fire broke out on Asaf Ali Road in Central Delhi, when the bus, plying on route number 729, was on its way from Kapashera to Mori Gate.

Two fire tenders reached the spot to douse the fire but the bus was completely gutted.

According to the driver, when he saw smoke coming out from the engine, he immediately stopped the bus. He then asked all passengers to get down from the bus and move away, to a safe distance from the bus.

Sources said although the fire could have been caused because of a number of reasons, none of which could be pinpointed as of now, prima facie it appears that the fire could have been caused due to a short-circuit in the engine of the bus, plying on route number 729.

Despite repeated attempts, Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) Managing Director Naresh Kumar could not be contacted for his comments, on the latest incident involving a DTC bus.