A moving electric Shivai bus caught fire near Apollo Hospital in Pune’s Swargate area on October 26, prompting the driver to pull over and allowing all 17 passengers to escape safely, according to a report by Lokmat – Pune.
The bus was travelling towards Swargate when smoke and flames were reportedly seen coming from the vehicle. The driver moved the bus to the side of the road after noticing the fire, while passengers were evacuated from the vehicle. No casualties were reported.
The incident brought firefighters, police personnel and local residents to the spot. Fire brigade personnel began spraying water on the burning bus and brought the fire under control. Police officers also managed the crowd and took steps to regulate traffic around the site.
The fire temporarily disrupted traffic in the Swargate area, with large clouds of smoke spreading around the road near Apollo Hospital. The location is a busy movement corridor, making crowd control and traffic management an immediate part of the emergency response.
A short circuit has been cited as the preliminary suspected cause of the fire. The report does not provide a final investigation finding or details about the bus’s battery system, maintenance history, operating route or the extent of damage to the vehicle. The preliminary cause therefore remains subject to confirmation by the relevant authorities.
The incident highlights the operational importance of rapid evacuation and emergency response when fires occur on passenger buses. In this case, the driver’s response, the evacuation of the passengers and the coordinated action by firefighters, police and local residents prevented reported casualties. Traffic management measures were undertaken after the fire was brought under control.
