Aligarh, 21 May (HS): Sixty people aboard a bus here had a close

shave on Wednesday when the engine caught fire and spread quickly to the rest

of the vehicle, leaving it entirely gutted within minutes. Many people were

forced to shatter window panes and leap out to safety when the bus caught fire

along the Mathura bypass route on the outskirts of Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh,

according to authorities. There were no injuries recorded in the event.

According to police, the engine took fire when the bus was on its

way from Kanpur to Haryana. According to numerous passengers, they noticed

sparks in the engine and immediately ordered the driver to stop the bus. Passengers

then quickly exited the bus, with several shattering windows and leaping out to

avoid harm.

The bus and all of the passenger luggage inside were entirely

burned before two fire trucks arrived and extinguished the inferno, leaving

only the charred remnants of the vehicle. Passengers reported that the gearbox

had developed a snag, resulting in early sparks. Despite protestations from several

passengers, the driver allegedly proceeded to drive the car at excessive

speeds. It wasn't until the situation

grew urgent that passengers pushed him to halt.

Immediately after the bus came to a standstill, the driver and

conductor apparently stepped off and left, abandoning the passengers. According

to police sources, when witnesses raised an alert, a police patrol arrived

shortly, followed by two fire tenders.

Police are currently looking for the missing driver and conductor.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi