Odisha MLA Mangu Khila escapes bus fire after tyre blaze near Andhra Pradesh, all passengers safe

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A potentially deadly incident was avoided after a bus carrying Odisha Congress MLA Mangu Khila and several others caught fire during a late-night journey. The vehicle was en route from Bhubaneswar to Nabarangpur when the rear tyre suddenly ignited, triggering panic among those on board.

According to police, there were 36 passengers travelling along with the legislator. Despite the intensity of the blaze, no injuries were reported. Authorities credited the driver’s swift action and the passengers’ alertness for preventing casualties.

Khila later described the moment, saying, “The bus caught fire when all the passengers, including me, were in deep sleep.” He emphasized how quickly the situation could have turned disastrous but didn’t due to the driver’s timely response.

“The driver's presence of mind saved all. He stopped the bus, opened all the windows and awakened all the passengers,” he said.

The incident took place near Ramabhadrapuram in Andhra Pradesh, as per officials. By the time emergency teams reached the spot, everyone had already exited the vehicle safely. Fire service personnel managed to control the flames, though the bus was completely destroyed.

All passengers and crew members were safely evacuated before the vehicle was completely gutted in the blaze, Khila told reporters. He also mentioned that he had boarded the bus at Rasulgarh bus stand and was heading towards Malkangiri when the incident occurred.

“A major tragedy was averted,” he added.

After the evacuation, another bus was arranged to transport the stranded passengers to their destination. Meanwhile, police have initiated an inquiry to determine what led to the fire.