Overview
- The private bus from Bhubaneswar toward western Odisha caught fire near Tarapuram in Ramabhadrapuram, Vizianagaram district, in the early hours.
- The driver halted the vehicle, opened exits and woke sleeping passengers, enabling a full evacuation with no injuries.
- Odisha Congress MLA Mangu Khila was on board and confirmed everyone was safe.
- Fire crews and local police doused the flames, but the bus was completely gutted and many passengers lost baggage.
- Passengers were transferred to another bus to continue their journey as authorities document the scene and probe the cause.