India: Moving bus bursts into flames on highway as passengers escape burning vehicle safely.

A passenger bus travelling towards Pune caught fire on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway Thursday morning. Flames spread rapidly and sparked panic among commuters. All passengers were evacuated safely in time, averting a major disaster. The incident took place on the Pune-bound lane of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway near Panvel, in western India's Maharashtra, at around 7:38 on September 24. Visuals show that a bus is seen engulfed in flames on the roadside. Officials are seen working to extinguish the fire. Speaking to Newslions, Pratik Patil, Fireman, Panvel Fire Station, Raigad, Maharashtra, stated that the incident occurred around 7:38 am Thursday. The bus was halted after smoke and flames emerged while it was moving. Firefighters from Panvel and Khopoli municipal councils and IRB’s Devdoot rescue team reached the spot. Additional fire vehicles were deployed due to the intensity of the blaze. Firefighters soon brought the flames under control. The bus was completely gutted but all passengers escaped safely. No casualties were reported. The incident occurred under Rasayani police station limits. The cause of the fire remains unknown. Police are investigating. Traffic on the expressway slowed temporarily but returned to normal after firefighting operations ended. Restriction:Not Distributable in Germany.