Khanna: A catastrophic accident was narrowly avoided on Sunday on the National Highway near Bija, situated close to Khanna in Punjab, when a private passenger bus transporting over 100 commuters suddenly burst into flames. The vehicle, which was packed with passengers including numerous women and children, was travelling from Ludhiana toward destinations in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar when the blaze erupted. The sudden outbreak of fire caused widespread panic among the occupants and passing motorists as heavy smoke and flames quickly took over the vehicle on the active highway corridor. Fortunately, a tragedy was avoided as all individuals on board managed to exit the vehicle safely before the fire grew out of control.
Upon being alerted to the highway emergency, teams comprising district administration officials, local police personnel, and the Fire Brigade immediately arrived at the location to manage the crisis. Firefighters initiated an aggressive containment operation and successfully extinguished the raging fire after significant effort, though the bus was ultimately reduced to a burnt shell. Local authorities confirmed that the timely evacuation ensured zero casualties or physical injuries during the entire episode.
The Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Khanna visited the spot and verified the successful rescue operations to the media, adding that an official inquiry has been instituted to discover the root cause of the incident. Investigators are currently evaluating whether a severe mechanical failure, electrical short-circuiting, or operational oversight triggered the fire, with the administration promising strict legal penalties if safety negligence is uncovered. The high-profile accident caused a temporary traffic bottleneck on the National Highway, which was cleared by traffic police shortly after the charred remains of the vehicle were moved.
