An APSRTC bus was completely gutted by fire in Visakhapatnam on Saturday after all passengers had safely disembarked and parcel services had been unloaded at the Dwaraka bus station, according to the transport corporation’s regional manager.
The bus, operated by the Nellore-1 Depot under Zone 3, had started its journey at 5 pm the previous day and reached the Dwaraka station at about 7 am, APSRTC Visakhapatnam Regional Manager Appala Naidu said.
“Upon arrival, all passengers safely alighted, and the parcel services were completely unloaded,” Naidu said in a statement detailing the incident.
After the passengers and parcels had been removed, the drivers began taking the empty coach towards the Waltair Depot, where designated rest quarters are maintained for Zone-III personnel. While the bus was travelling to the depot, the driver noticed smoke coming from the vehicle.
The driver immediately pulled the bus over to the side of the road and alerted local administrative officials, including the Assistant Engineer, Assistant Manager and Depot Manager, Naidu said. Fire engines were alerted following the report of smoke from the vehicle.
Despite the prompt response, the fire completely destroyed the bus engine and the rest of the vehicle, according to the regional manager. The account provided by APSRTC did not identify the road where the fire occurred or state what caused the blaze.
The incident took place after the bus had completed its overnight service and after every passenger had left the vehicle. No passenger casualties were reported in the official account cited in the report.
Naidu said the bus belonged to the Nellore-1 Depot and was part of Zone 3 operations. The APSRTC statement did not provide details of the vehicle’s age, its maintenance history, the number of passengers who had travelled on the service or the estimated property loss.
The transport corporation also did not announce whether a technical inspection or formal inquiry had been ordered. Further details on the cause of the fire and the next steps are expected from APSRTC officials.
