A Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) bus caught fire while travelling through the Shivajinagar area on Friday morning, but passengers, including the conductor and driver, were evacuated before firefighters brought the blaze under control, according to a report by Loksatta – Pune.
The bus was operating on the Pune Station-Nigdi route when smoke was noticed coming from the vehicle. Firefighter Suresh Pawar, attached to the Kasba Peth fire station, was travelling home on his motorcycle after completing a night shift when he saw the smoke from the moving bus.
Pawar immediately informed the fire brigade’s main control room. Before the fire tender reached the location, he approached the bus and helped the conductor, driver and passengers leave the vehicle. The report said his prompt response prevented a more serious incident involving people inside the bus.
A fire brigade vehicle subsequently arrived at the scene. Firefighters used water to control and extinguish the fire. The report did not specify the exact location within Shivajinagar where the incident occurred or how long the firefighting operation lasted.
The bus was carrying passengers on one of PMPML’s regular routes connecting Pune Station with Nigdi. Such services operate through busy parts of the city, where an onboard fire can quickly create risks for passengers, nearby road users and surrounding traffic. In this case, the early detection of smoke and the evacuation carried out before the fire tender’s arrival were central to preventing injuries, based on the details reported by Loksatta – Pune.
PMPML operates the city’s public bus network across Pune and neighbouring urban areas. A bus fire can affect not only the people inside the vehicle but also route operations and traffic movement around the incident site. However, the supplied report does not provide information about whether the vehicle was taken out of service, whether the route experienced a delay, or whether an inspection was ordered after the fire.
The report also does not state whether anyone was injured, what caused the fire, how much damage the bus sustained, or whether any passengers required medical attention. No separate statement from PMPML or another civic authority was included in the report. The available account confirms that the fire was brought under control after the occupants were evacuated and that firefighter Suresh Pawar’s intervention helped prevent a more serious outcome.
