Smoke triggers panic on metro bus

ISLAMABAD: Panic broke out on a Metro bus near Faizabad after a technical problem caused dense smoke to spread inside the vehicle and around the track, prompting frightened passengers to try to escape through emergency exits.

According to officials, the bus was travelling from Islamabad to Rawalpindi and was carrying commuters, including women, when thick smoke began coming from the engine area, the rear section and the silencer side as it neared Faizabad.

The smoke also entered the passenger compartment, leading the driver to stop the bus immediately. Passengers became alarmed when the doors did not open at once and some began breaking the glass marked for emergency exits.

One passenger was injured while trying to climb out through a broken window, while the remaining passengers were evacuated safely after the doors were opened.

Officials said Metro bus staff took steps to protect passengers and temporarily suspended operations on the track before opening the doors and helping commuters get off the vehicle.

After being informed of the incident, officials of the Metro Bus Authority reached the site and moved the bus from the track to the depot.

Officials rule out fire

A senior Metro Bus Authority officer said the smoke was caused by a technical fault linked to engine-related components and the silencer side at the back of the bus.

The incident caused distress among passengers as smoke filled the moving bus before it was brought to a halt near Faizabad. The delay in the doors opening added to the panic, leading some passengers to smash emergency exit windows in an effort to get out.

Authorities said the vehicle was later removed from the route and shifted to the depot after Metro Bus Authority personnel arrived at the scene.

The official account of the incident stated that while one passenger sustained an injury during the evacuation attempt through a broken window, the rest of the passengers were brought out safely once access doors were opened.

Officials maintained that the incident involved smoke caused by a mechanical fault and not a fire.