CLOSE CALL: The Hyundai car and express bus after the collision.
KOTA KINABALU: Twenty five passengers onboard an express bus had a narrow escape when the rear of the bus caught fire after it was hit by a vehicle along Tuaran Bypass here on Thursday.
The 25 passengers with two bus drivers and a conductor were believed to be on their way back to Tawau from Kota Kinabalu when a Hyundai car, that was tailing, rammed into the rear of the bus around 8pm.
The impact of the collision caused the engine of the Hyundai car to burst into flame and the fire then spread to the rear of the bus.
All 25 passengers immediately ran to safety as the bus drivers and the conductor put out the flame with a fire extinguisher.
The woman driver of the Hyundai car, in her 20s, managed to escape from the burning car on time with only minor injury.
According to the bus driver, who declined to be named, prior to the incident, a Perodua Kancil car had crossed his path which forced him to step on the break.
“The Kancil car, which was on the left land, suddenly swerved to the right in front of the bus which forced me to step on the emergency brake,” he said, adding that the Hyundai car then hit the rear of the bus as it was tailing.
He was grateful that none of the passengers, his colleague and the driver of the Hyundai were hurt in the incident.
Meanwhile, Sembulan Fire and Rescue Assistant Fire Chief II Johnny Gostom, when met at the scene confirmed that no casualties were reported in the incident.
“We received information that there was a fire after an accident occurred between a car and an express bus.
“We immediately deployed two fire engines to the scene and when we arrived, found that the fire had been put out by one of the bus drivers using a fire extinguisher,” he said, adding that the fire started from the Hyundai car after it rammed into the rear of the bus.