THE BURNING BUS: A private bus parked near an open space at Cunchelim, Mapusa, was completely gutted in a fire on Monday.
MAPUSA
A private bus parked near the Sai Baba temple at Cunchelim, Mapusa, was completely gutted in a fire on Monday afternoon, causing an estimated loss of around ₹10 lakh.
The incident occurred around 3 pm when dry grass in the vicinity reportedly caught fire, which quickly spread to the parked vehicle.
Fire personnel from the Mapusa fire station rushed to the scene and managed to extinguish the blaze.
However, by the time the flames were brought under control, the bus was completely gutted.
The bus, which operates on the Mapusa-to-Panaji route, had been stationed at the location for the past several days.
Authorities are yet to determine the exact cause of the fire.
Preliminary investigations suggest the fire might have been sparked by the burning of dry grass in the area, but officials have not ruled out other possibilities.
“The cause of the fire is still unclear, and we are investigating all angles,” said a fire department official.
Local residents reported seeing thick plumes of smoke emanating from the site, which caused panic in the surrounding area.
Witnesses claimed the flames spread rapidly due to the dry grass and windy conditions.
Further investigations are underway to determine the precise cause of the fire.
