The bus in flames at Agonda.
CANACONA
A tourist bus that transported 40 Partagali Math bound devotees and dropped them at a hotel in Agonda, mysteriously went up in flames at about 9.40 pm on Saturday at Agonda.
The tourist bus coming from Mopa Airport had dropped around 40 pilgrims at a hotel near Agonda beach. As those pilgrims were to be picked up early Sunday morning (5.15 am) and dropped for the darshan at Partagali Math, where 11-day celebrations on completion of 550 years of the revered math is underway, the owner-cum-driver decided to stay for the night in the village itself and parked the luxury bus near the SAG Grounds, Agonda.
The driver, coming back to the bus after having dinner at a nearby restaurant, saw smoke emanating from the bus. The driver immediately activated the fire extinguisher in the bus, and tried to extinguish the fire, but as the fire had already engulfed the luxurious seats, thick smoke forced him out of the bus.
He shouted for help and people from the area called up police and fire bridge but by the time fire brigade came, the entire bus was up in flames. Fire fighters emptied one fire tender and went to bring another.
A large number of people watched helplessly as the bus was destroyed in fire. After 40 minutes, fire brigade returned and completely extinguished the fire.
The driver informed that the luxury tourist bus was new and was completing a year in February, having bumper-to-bumper insurance, but all the papers /documents kept in the dashboard were reduced ashes.
The cause of fire remains a mystery as neither the bus engine was on, nor were the lights inside the bus switched on, according to the driver cum owner who is suspecting some untoward incident.
