Thirteen passengers travelling by an MSRTC`s electric bus had to be evacuated after smoke was detected in one of its wheels in Maharashtra`s Thane city on Tuesday morning, officials said, reported news agency PTI.
The passengers were later accommodated in another bus by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) officials, they said.
Thane Municipal Corporation`s disaster management cell chief Yasin Tadvi said they received information at 9.50 am about smoke emanating from one of the rear wheels of the MSRTC`s electric Shivshahi bus on the road connecting Cadbury signal to Khopat depot, reported PTI.
The bus was on way from Borivali in Mumbai towards neighbouring Nashik district.
“There were 13 passengers on board, of whom 10 were headed to Nashik and three to Thane. All the passengers were evacuated safely and no one was injured,” Tadvi said, reported PTI.
Firefighters and disaster management personnel used hose reels to spray water on the wheel to contain the smoke, he said.
The affected bus was later towed away. Traffic on the busy route was not affected by the incident, he added, reported PTI.
LPG tanker overturns, gas leak sparks panic; no injuries
In another incident, an LPG tanker overturned in a hilly area near Chandwad on the Mumbai-Agra national highway in Nashik district, causing a gas leak and triggering panic among locals, police said on Tuesday, reported PTI.
Nobody was injured in the incident.
Efforts to plug the gas leak have been going on for the last 15 hours, an official said, adding that traffic on the highway has been diverted.
A BPCL tanker carrying LPG overturned in Rahud Ghat near Chandwad around 10 pm on Monday, reported PTI.
“Following the incident, gas started leaking on a large scale, creating panic in the area. Chandwad tehsildar, police personnel, and a technical team of BPCL immediately reached the spot and began the efforts to stop the gas leakage on war-footing,” an official said, reported PTI.
Fire tenders from three municipal councils and Maharashtra Natural Gas Ltd (MNGL) were also mobilised, reported PTI.
Due to the accident, traffic came to a standstill, and long queues of vehicles were seen on the highway.
As a precautionary measure, police closed the Nashik-Dhule highway at Chandwad Square for traffic.
“Efforts to stop the gas leak from the tanker are going on, and all necessary facilities have been provided at the accident spot. Citizens should not believe any rumours and cooperate with the administration. The work will be completed up to 4 PM,” said Superintendent of Police Balasaheb Patil, reported PTI.
(With inputs from PTI)
