Hyderabad: An alert driver of a private tourist bus saved the lives of 40 passengers after it caught fire in Vizianagaram district in Andhra Pradesh early on Saturday.
The bus developed a flat tyre when it reached Ramabhadrapuram between Vizianagaram and Odisha and within a few minutes fire broke out. On seeing this, the bus driver raised an alarm asking the passengers to immediately get down.
The presence of mind displayed by the bus driver helped the passengers to escape safely. The bus was burnt completely in the incident and the valuables of the passengers were also damaged. The fire-fighters rushed to the spot and the flames were doused within an hour.
The reasons behind the fire were yet to be known, officials said.