Luxury Bus Engulfed in Flames Near Ranjangaon Ganpati; All 50 Passengers Escape Unharmed
Luxury Bus Engulfed in Flames Near Ranjangaon Ganpati; All 50 Passengers Escape Unharmed
On Friday night, a moving private bus caught fire on the Pune-Ahilyanagar highway near the Mahaganpati Temple at Ranjangaon Ganpati in Shirur taluka, sparking panic among commuters. The fire broke out around 8.30 pm, but the quick thinking of the bus driver ensured that all 50 passengers on board were evacuated safely before the vehicle was completely destroyed.
The bus, a luxury coach operated by Sanjay Travels of Nagpur (MH 40 CT 0957), was travelling from Pune to Nagpur. While passing the temple, the driver noticed smoke coming from the front section of the vehicle. Sensing imminent danger, he immediately pulled the bus off the highway and opened the engine grille to investigate.
Within moments, flames erupted from the engine compartment. The driver promptly instructed all passengers to disembark. Despite attempts by him and his helper to control the fire with water, the overheated engine caused the blaze to spread quickly. Seats, window curtains, and rexine interiors caught fire, and the bus was soon completely engulfed in flames.
All passengers managed to escape safely with their belongings, except for two whose bags were left behind and destroyed by the fire.
Police Inspector Mahadev Waghmode of the Ranjangaon MIDC police station, along with his team, rushed to the scene. Firefighters from the Ranjangaon MIDC fire station deployed multiple fire tenders to bring the blaze under control.
The fire triggered loud explosions as the bus tyres and diesel tank burst, adding to the panic and forcing authorities to temporarily halt traffic on the highway. A crowd of onlookers gathered at the scene, with many recording videos, further slowing traffic.
Traffic disruption on the Pune-Ahilyanagar highway lasted over two hours, and even after the flames were extinguished, congestion continued. Police and traffic officials managed key junctions, including Ranjangaon, Karegaon, Yash Inn Chowk, and Rajmudra Chowk, but traffic remained slow in several areas late into the night.
