Overview
- The government-run bus caught fire Thursday morning on the Sunki Ghat stretch in Parvatipuram Manyam district on NH-26 between Visakhapatnam and Koraput.
- Passengers evacuated quickly after the driver noticed smoke and sparks from the engine while climbing uphill.
- Fire crews reached the scene and contained the blaze, but the vehicle was completely destroyed and traffic was briefly disrupted.
- Police registered a case and a technical inspection is underway to determine the exact cause, with a short circuit viewed as the likely trigger.
- Reports differed on the number of people aboard, with five to ten passengers cited, and a state minister directed an inquiry and report.