Private sleeper bus gutted in fire near Hosnagar, 36 passengers escape narrowly

Shivamogga: Even as the Chitradurga bus tragedy is yet to fade from public memory, another major mishap involving a private bus has been reported from Shivamogga district.

A private AC sleeper bus travelling from Hosnagar to Bengaluru was completely gutted in a sudden fire near Suduru village in Hosnagar taluk late Tuesday night. The bus, operated by Sri Annapoorneshwari Travels, was carrying 36 passengers when the incident occurred between Arasalu and Suduru villages, near the 9th milestone.

According to officials, the fire broke out unexpectedly while the bus was in motion. Though the vehicle was completely destroyed, all passengers managed to escape, averting a major tragedy. However, eight passengers sustained burn injuries in the incident.

The injured were immediately shifted to McGann Hospital in Shivamogga, where they are undergoing treatment. Hospital sources said the condition of the injured is stable.

Officials said the driver’s presence of mind played a crucial role in saving lives. As soon as he noticed flames and smoke emerging from the bus, the driver brought the vehicle under control and rammed it against a roadside tree to bring it to a halt.

This enabled passengers to evacuate quickly through the emergency exit. Within minutes, the fire spread rapidly and engulfed the entire bus, leaving passengers with no time to retrieve their belongings. Clothes, luggage and other valuables were completely destroyed in the blaze.

Fire and emergency services rushed to the spot and doused the flames, but by then the bus had been reduced to ashes. Preliminary investigations suggest a possible short circuit as the cause of the fire, though officials said a detailed inspection would be conducted to ascertain the exact reason.

The incident has once again raised serious concerns over the safety of long-distance private buses, particularly sleeper coaches operating during night hours.

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