22 parked buses burnt after massive fire at garage in Bengaluru

Bengaluru 

A massive fire erupted in Bengaluru’s Veerbhadra Nagar in a private bus depot named SV Coach Works on Monday.

In a swift response to the raging fire, a fleet of over 10 fire engine vans was dispatched to the scene to extinguish the flames and manage the crisis, while there were no injuries reported.

"The fire is believed to have originated from welding work being conducted on the seats of a stationary bus within the depot as it is specialised in repairs and refurbishment works. The fire subsequently spread to other parked buses in the garage, resulting in extensive damages,” said a senior police officer.

Speaking to News Trail, Gurulingaiah C, Deputy Director of Fire Service and State Disaster Rescue Force (SDRF), said, “The call reporting the incident was received around 11:55 am in the morning from a depot, prompting the dispatch of 10 fire engines to combat the blaze. Out of the 28 parked buses, 18 were damaged, while 10 were moved to safe areas due to the swift action of the on-site workers. The exact cause of the incident remains uncertain, as both electrical and welding work were underway in the depot at the time.”

However, a worker of the depot who wished to remain anonymous said to News Trail, “During ongoing electrical maintenance on the seating of a stationary bus, a short circuit ignited the cushions and fabrics, quickly escalating into a fire. Despite the workers' valiant efforts, they were unable to fully extinguish the blaze. However, they successfully moved nearly 10 buses to safety outside the depot."

He further added a bus cleaner, asleep in a vehicle scheduled for departure in a few hours, was awakened by the fire as he suffered burn injuries to his right arm and later was transported to the closest hospital for medical care.