BUS ON FIRE. A firefighter tries to put out the flames that engulfed a Husky Tours passenger bus unit along the national highway in Tantangan, South Cotabato on Monday afternoon, June 3. All 40 bus passengers were safely evacuated during the incident.(Photo courtesy of the Tantangan-Bureau of Fire Protection)
GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- A passenger bus was totally burned after catching fire while traveling along the national highway in Tantangan town, South Cotabato on Monday afternoon.
Fire Insp. Russel Basuel, chief of the Tantangan municipal fire station, said Tuesday the Husky Tours bus was on its way to Cotabato City via Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat when it went up in flames at a portion of Barangay Magon around 3:25 p.m.
He said the bus, with registration plate MWB 724, came from this city and just made a stop at the Koronadal City integrated transport terminal.
Based on the account of bus driver Abdulmanan Kindi, one of the passengers noticed that the rear portion of the vehicle was heating up while it was passing by Barangay Magon.
The official said that after being apprised of the situation, Kindi immediately stopped the bus by the roadside and safely evacuated all its 40 passengers.
“They then saw fire coming out of the rear portion and spreading to the other parts of the bus,” he told reporters.
Basuel said they were able to respond to the scene after being alerted by nearby residents led by Magon barangay chair Musa Magon.
He said their firefighters were not able to save the bus as the fire spread rapidly.
Citing their investigation, Basuel said the fire could have been caused by faulty electrical connections at the engine of the bus unit.
Kindi apparently saw some electrical spark at the wires connected to the battery when the bus unit was starting to burn.
He said the bus reportedly underwent a check and minor repairs of its electrical connections at their terminal here prior to the trip.
Basuel said the bus company has to yet to submit a report as to the value of the damage to the unit.
Husky Tours is operated by the Biocrest Multi-Purpose Cooperative, a cooperative formed by the officers of Biocrest Corporation and Eleventh Corporation based in this city. (PNA)
