Date:27/05/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/05/27/stories/2005052713260800.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Miraculous escape for bus passengers

Special Correspondent

TIRUPATI: Forty pilgrims coming down the Tirumala hills in a State Road Transport Corporation (RTC) bus had a miraculous escape on Thursday when the front axle broke and the wheel came off.

Eyewitness said the bus moved for some distance and halted. As the vehicle fell across the road, traffic on the Ghat road was affected for nearly an hour. No one was injured.

Staff Reporter in Rajahmundry writes:

Passengers of a private bus had a miraculous escape when it caught fire. According to Fire officer D.R.B. Raju, a private luxury bus going to Visakhapatnam from Hyderabad caught fire near Lala Cheruvu around 12 p.m. Auto drivers first saw smoke on top of the bus. On being alerted, the driver stopped the vehicle and the 22 passengers got down.