Passengers Escaped Unscathed as Public Bus gutted by Fire

ADDIS ABABA – A public bus traveling from Addis Ababa to Dessie with 62 passengers, mostly students, on-board was charred and gutted by fire on Friday afternoon, police say.

Several photos released showed the bus in the middle of the highway in Jile Timuga district of Oromia special zone in Amhara region.

Nobody is reported to have been injured.

The bus along with luggage and documents of the students who were their way to Wollo University for registration have been completely destroyed, according to Jile Timuga District Police Office.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is currently ongoing. Police, however, said technical problems may be the reason.

The passengers were complaining about smelling smoke emitting from the bus beginning from Shoa Robit, said Wondwossen Getahun, head of road safety and traffic department of the office, speaking to state-run Ethiopian News Agency.

The driver, however, ignored their warning and continued to the journey until the fire erupted in Goda Kebele.

The driver and his assistant are currently in police custody while the 62 passengers have already been taken to Dessie in another vehicle.