An electric bus operated by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) caught fire on Outer Ring Road around 11 pm on Monday. The bus was traveling from Chennai to Bengaluru when the incident occurred. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
The electric bus had an incident where it drove through 2 feet of water on the road. Unfortunately, water seeped into the battery compartment, causing a short circuit that led to a fire. Â
In an X post by Mr. Pradeep, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Northeast Bangalore informed, “Electric bus went into 2 feet water on the road, water entered battery as a result short circuit & fire. No harm to anyone. Electric vehicles pls avoid going into deep water on roads it may lead to short circuits.” BMTC had leased the bus from JBM under the Bengaluru Smart City Project.
A BMTC official said,
“As the bus neared Kempapura, the vehicle stopped all of a sudden on a waterlogged road. At that time, there were around 10-15 passengers on the bus, and all were asked to deboard. After making alternative arrangements for the passengers in another bus, the crew came back to check the vehicle.”
The official added that they noticed smoke on the rear side of the bus, and the bus driver immediately contacted an official from JBM Company, the manufacturer responsible for maintaining the electric bus, according to a Times of India report.