A CRUT-operated electric bus caught fire at the Chandrasekharpur depot in Bhubaneswar on Sunday, raising fresh concerns over the safety of electric public transport. Quick action by depot staff and the fire brigade prevented significant damage to the vehicle.
Immediate Response Prevents Major Blaze
According to an official statement from the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT), the incident occurred when staff at the depot noticed smoke. The personnel on site immediately responded and tried to douse the initial flames using available fire extinguishers. Simultaneously, they alerted the professional fire services to the emergency.
The combined efforts of the arriving fire brigade team and the CRUT staff successfully brought the fire under control. The CRUT statement confirmed that the e-bus did not sustain any significant damage due to the swift intervention.
Timeline and Suspected Cause
Sources provided a detailed sequence of events leading to the fire. The e-bus had completed its scheduled trip and entered the depot for charging around 3 pm. Approximately half an hour later, at about 3:30 pm, smoke was detected emanating from the battery compartment of the vehicle. This points to a potential issue with the battery system during or after the charging process.
This incident follows another bus fire in the city just a day earlier. On Saturday, an Ama Bus caught fire at Kalinga Studio Square. In that case, the alert driver and staff safely evacuated all 26 passengers on board, averting a potential tragedy.
High-Level Committee Formed for Investigation
In response to Sunday's incident, CRUT has taken a serious step by ordering the formation of a high-level investigative committee. The committee will comprise officers from TP Central Odisha Distribution Limited (TPCODL), the Transport Department, the bus manufacturing company, and a team of technical officers from CRUT itself.
The mandate of this committee is clear. It will conduct a thorough examination to identify the exact cause of the fire and will submit a detailed report. Officials stated that this proactive step was taken to understand the failure and to implement measures to avoid any such incidents in the future, ensuring the safety of the growing electric bus fleet.
The back-to-back bus fires in Bhubaneswar have put a spotlight on vehicle maintenance and safety protocols, especially as the city expands its fleet of modern, eco-friendly public transport.
