Six Buses Caught Fire at Khadgarha Bus Stand in Ranchi; Operators Suspect Foul Play

Ranchi: Panic broke out at Khadgarha Bus Stand in Ranchi on Sunday afternoon after six buses caught fire. The incident caused substantial financial losses for the bus operators. Firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control, and police have launched an investigation into the matter.

Incident Details

Eyewitnesses reported that the fire started in one bus and quickly spread to five others parked nearby, engulfing a total of six buses. Fortunately, no one was present inside the vehicles at the time, and there were no casualties. The fire created chaos in the surrounding area.

Suspicion of Deliberate Arson

Bus operators have raised concerns that the incident may have been a deliberate act. They pointed out that none of the buses involved were air-conditioned, which is unusual since short circuits in AC buses are often the cause of such fires. Operators noted that drivers at the stand tried to move buses to prevent the fire from spreading, but the flames spread rapidly.

Call for Fire Safety Measures

Operators have urged authorities to permanently station fire trucks at the bus stand to prevent future incidents. They had made similar requests earlier, but these were reportedly not addressed.

Investigation Underway

Five fire trucks worked tirelessly to control the fire. Police are examining CCTV footage from the bus stand to determine the cause. This is not the first fire at Khadgarha Bus Stand; in 2023, two incidents occurred, one of which involved 17 buses catching fire simultaneously.