One incident near Hassan in Karnataka that was barely avoidable occurred when a private bus from Mangaluru to Bengaluru caught fire on National Highway-75, not far from Shantigrama.
This alarm made a stir amongst both passengers and motorists. The case is one of 36 people who have been implicated in the incident on a private bus headed to Bengaluru. It says the fire began in a moving vehicle's tyre.
The driver told police that he noticed some smoke and flames escaping from the tyre along the lane. Aware he was in no doubt of an imminent threat to safety, he moved the vehicle quickly across the side of the road with mindful intent, and quickly briefed the passengers to assemble themselves and get off the bus immediately.
That sudden motion by the driver made all the riders get off the vehicle from its interior, below the seat. Flames erupted on board the bus, and much of the vehicle was consumed within minutes. A couple of passengers got off the bus, and as they said, if we were agitated and not knowing what had happened, thick smoke should shoot from that part of the tyre.
A major tragedy was averted near Hassan after a private bus travelling from Mangaluru to Bengaluru caught fire on National Highway-75 near Shantigrama.
— Hate Detector 🔍 (@HateDetectors) May 16, 2026
According to reports, the incident took place while the bus was heading towards Bengaluru with several passengers on board. The… pic.twitter.com/JfJAUhn47c
Some of the passengers allegedly pulled out of the vehicle in fear of an explosion as the temperature rose. This took place in the Shantigrama region, at the Hassan stretch of NH-75, on a section of NH-75, one of the main highways between the coastal Karnataka city and Bengaluru.
In fact, the road traffic in this case came to a halt, since within a short time the fire temporarily disabled vehicles near the crash, causing vehicles to struggle to move, causing road traffic disruptions. When the fire brigade became aware, the station began a firefighting order.
The fire was difficult to control, officials said, as by the time they arrived, the flames had spread far and wide through the bus. Firefighters continued fighting and were able to put out the fire so as not to allow it to spread from the inside out toward nearby cars or paved streets.
Thankfully, there were no deaths or injuries. A few images of the site captured a private bus being set ablaze to the ground, as well as large black smoke-lined waterways far off to the distant past. The destruction was largely responsible for the vehicle being damaged. But police are reviewing the cause of the incident today.
An allegedly lit fire from friction or the overheating in the body of one of the tyres while the car was being transferred quickly is said to have started. The regulator would then move to seek a hard technical inspection of the incident to find out what was literally burning the vehicle, the official said.
Again, it once again emphasises the issue of vehicle check and the safety of private bus premises when travelling wide stretches through Karnataka's roads. Passengers and others nearby praised the driver’s quick action, saying his speed had helped to stave off an emergency that could have descended into an appalling disaster.
The transit officers and transportation authorities don’t doubt that they will stop by to check in for the ride, and that all safety and maintenance rules are followed before their ride.
