All passengers on board an 18-seater bus escaped death after fire engulfed the vehicle they were travelling in the Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State on Friday.
According to eyewitnesses, the bus was en route from Owerri in Imo State to Port Harcourt in Rivers State when the incident occurred. The fire broke out suddenly while the bus was in transit, causing panic among the occupants.
The flames spread rapidly, forcing everyone inside—including the driver and the conductor—to jump out to safety. Fortunately, no casualties were reported, though some passengers suffered minor bruises while escaping through the windows.
One eyewitness explained that the fire was caused by an electrical fault within the vehicle.
“It is an electrical issue. So all the passengers were jumping out through the window and the door. Full passengers with driver and conductor,” he said. “Some have bruises while trying to escape from the windows, while the vehicle burned down completely.”
Another witness, who identified himself as Tony, confirmed the bus was traveling from Owerri to Port Harcourt when the fire suddenly erupted.
He added, “It was a serious fire. They were coming from Owerri. Unfortunately, there was a fire outbreak, so the passengers, driver, and conductor ran out. The bus got burnt, and we thank God there were no casualties.”
The incident caused a traffic jam and panic around the Igwuruta roundabout as motorists quickly diverted their routes to avoid the scene. Many stopped at a distance to watch the fire consume the bus and the goods it was carrying.
Despite the intensity of the blaze, it was brought under control to prevent damage to nearby vehicles. Notably, no fire service team was present at the scene during the incident.
