Driver disconnects accelerator wire to slow down bus after brake fails, engine goes up in flames

Kolkata: An alert bus driver saved lives of more than 40 odd passengers who were travelling in the bus, the engine of which had suddenly caught fire.

On seeing the engine of the bus up on flames and the brake not properly functioning, the bus driver kept his cool and disconnected the accelerator wire to slow down the vehicle. People have praised the driver who had applied the presence of mind to save the lives of the passengers.

The incident took place on Bankim Setu in Howrah on Saturday morning. The incident triggered panic among the passengers who were travelling in the private bus when they found smoke billowing out of the engine when the bus was on the bridge. According to the police, the bus was going to Dharmatala from Ramrajatala in Howrah.

Eyewitnesses said that as soon as the bus hit the Bankim Setu, the engine suddenly caught fire. The bus driver Sintu Roy applied the brake but he found that it was not properly functioning. The passengers were shouting for help after seeing the engines up on flames. But the bus was crossing the bridge at a considerable speed. The passengers panicked as they saw the driver failing to stop the vehicle as the brake was not working. The driver suddenly was struck by an idea. He disconnected the wire of the accelerator of the bus as a result of which, the vehicle gradually lost momentum and came to a stop eventually. The passengers got down one by one. Some of the people who were going through the area already stopped their vehicles around the bus. The smoke was still billowing out the engine of the bus.

After being informed, police and a fire tender reached the spot and brought the situation under control. According to the preliminary investigation, police and fire officials suspect that a technical glitch might have led to the incident. A probe has been initiated in this regard. The incident had slowed down the movement of traffic on Bankim Setu but the situation was gradually brought under control and the traffic movement was back to normal.