A fully electric MSRTC bus caught fire while travelling towards Swargate in Pune on October 26, with all 17 passengers evacuated safely after smoke and flames emerged from the moving vehicle, according to a report by Punekar News.
The incident took place on the route from Seven Loves Chowk towards Swargate. The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation bus was air-conditioned and carrying 17 passengers when the fire began. The driver reportedly noticed the smoke and flames, pulled the bus to the side of the road and helped prevent the vehicle from continuing through traffic.
Fire brigade personnel, police and local residents reached the spot and assisted in evacuating the passengers. The 17 people on board escaped unhurt, according to the report. The incident did not result in any reported passenger injuries.
Preliminary information cited by Punekar News suggests that a short circuit may have caused the fire. However, the exact cause had not been confirmed in the supplied report. The available details do not establish whether the suspected electrical fault originated in the battery system, wiring, motor or another component of the vehicle.
The incident puts attention on the safety systems required for electric buses operating in dense urban traffic. Unlike a stationary vehicle fire, a blaze on a moving bus can create risks for passengers, the driver, nearby road users and emergency responders. Rapid detection, safe stopping, passenger evacuation and access for fire services were central to limiting the immediate consequences in this case.
Electric buses are increasingly being used for public transport because they do not produce tailpipe emissions during operation. Their deployment, however, requires regular inspection of high-voltage electrical systems, battery equipment, charging infrastructure and onboard fire-safety mechanisms. The supplied report does not provide details of the bus model, its maintenance history, charging location or the inspection process that preceded the journey.
The bus was travelling towards Swargate when the fire was reported. Further findings on the cause of the incident, the condition of the vehicle and any action by MSRTC or other authorities were not available in the source material. Those details will determine whether the event was an isolated vehicle fault or part of a wider maintenance and safety concern involving the electric-bus fleet.
