A Pune mahanagar parivahan mahamandal limited (PMPML) bus caught fire on an overbridge near the college of engineering, Pune (COEP), on Tuesday evening. Passengers were on the bus when the fire started at the front. However, no casualties or injuries were reported.
“There were 30-35 passengers on the bus when sparks flew. Everyone was made to safely alight the bus before the fire spread. No harm came to any one of them,” said a spokesperson of PMPML. “A detailed report will be presented tomorrow (Wednesday),” he added.
The bus was heading from Vishrantwadi to Kothrud depot and was passing over the flyover bridge around late afternoon when the incident happened. The fire brigade control room received a call about the incident at 3.48pm. A fire brigade unit from Kasba fire division rushed to the spot.
“It took us some 20 minutes to douse the fire. The traffic in the area and on the bridge was so busy that we had to take the wrong side of the road diversion in order to reach the spot,” said Ravindra Adhav, fire officer of Kasba fire division. The entire bus quickly caught fire and the frame as well as the seats were subsequently charred, according to the fire officials.
The bus was a CNG fuel model which is owned and maintained by PMPML. While PMPML officials suspect an electric spark led to the fire, the reason behind the fire will only be known after an expert report is submitted on Wednesday.
{{/usCountry}}The bus was a CNG fuel model which is owned and maintained by PMPML. While PMPML officials suspect an electric spark led to the fire, the reason behind the fire will only be known after an expert report is submitted on Wednesday.
{{/usCountry}}Strike threat after driver, depot manager fight
The workers at the Pune mahanagar parviahan mahamandal limited (PMPML) depot in Hadapsar are threatening to go on strike after a violent incident on Sunday, involving a driver and the depot manager in which the driver sustained a head injury.
The driver identified as Dilip Pawar, has served PMPML for 28 years. The depot manager identified as Narayan Karde who took over the depot operation three months ago.
“There will be an internal investigation,” said a spokesperson of PMPML.
On Tuesday Rajendra Kharade, head of the Pune municipal transport (PMT) workers’ association, threatened a strike post Diwali.