Koraput: Around 40 passengers, including Chitrakonda MLA Mangu Khilla, had a narrow escape when the private bus they were travelling in caught fire in the early hours of Saturday in Andhra Pradesh, close to the Odisha border.The incident took place around 3 am in a forested stretch near Rambhadrapuram, about 40km from the Odisha border. The bus was on its way from Bhubaneswar to Malkangiri when it reportedly developed a technical snag before being engulfed in flames.Recounting the incident, Khilla said, “The bus had left Bhubaneswar around 7 pm on Friday. Most passengers were asleep when the driver suddenly raised an alarm after noticing fire at the rear of the vehicle, prompting an immediate evacuation.”The driver heard a loud sound from the rear and on inspection, noticed flames near the rear wheel. “He acted swiftly and alerted all passengers,” Khilla added. He was returning to his constituency in Malkangiri district after attending the ongoing Assembly session.Panic gripped the passengers as they rushed out, with some forced to jump through windows, leaving behind their belongings as the fire spread rapidly. Khilla also helped several passengers disembark safely.Though many could not retrieve their belongings, there were no major injuries or casualties. “Within minutes, the entire bus was engulfed in flames,” the Congress legislator said, attributing the incident to a possible rear tyre burst or mechanical fault.The passengers remained stranded in the forested area for nearly 90 minutes before another private bus travelling from Bhubaneswar to Nabarangpur was stopped. Arrangements were made to shift them to Jeypore in Koraput district.Expressing concern over the incident, Khilla called for stricter monitoring of long-route buses. “I will raise the issue with the transport department to ensure regular fitness checks of night express buses operating on long routes,” he added.
