Metro bus blaze disrupts twin cities commute

A fire broke out in a metro bus enroute from Islamabad to Rawalpindi near Sixth Road. Passengers broke windows to escape the burning bus amid billowing smoke which could be seen from far away.

All passengers aboard the bus managed to extricate themselves and gathered at a safe distance from the bus before the rescue team arrived. By the time the Rescue 1122 team reached the site of the incident, the bus had burnt to a crisp.

The fire caused disruptions to the metro bus service, stalling it for several hours and causing passengers severe distress. Eyewitnesses told The Express Tribune that the fire broke out at around 8.30 am. The fire was so intense that it engulfed the entire metro bus. Clouds of black smoke rising from the metro track were visible from afar. A large number of people gathered on Murree Road to watch the fire on the metro track which is elevated at a height of 30 feet from Murree Road.

The passengers and crew members who escaped the bus took shelter away from the scene. The rescue team arrived later and began firefighting operations. A Rescue 1122 spokesperson said that fire tenders, 4 emergency vehicles and a special rescue vehicle were dispatched from the Saddar metro track to the elevated track for the operation and that the fire was brought under control after 45 minutes. He added that no one was injured in the fire incident.

According to the initial investigation, the fire in the bus was likely due to a short circuit. The presence of plastic and foam in the inner body of the metro bus increased the intensity of the fire. Sources said that the bus was completely burnt in the fire and rendered inoperable. The bus's remains were removed from the track with the help of a crane and shifted to the Metro Bus Depot in Islamabad. The decision to repair the bus will be taken after the investigation is complete.

While the metro bus authorities did not give any statement on this unfortunate incident, according to insiders, officials have formed an investigation committee to investigate the incident.