Bhubaneswar, Feb. 18 -- A potentially devastating tragedy was averted in Kerala's Ottapalam town after a private bus suddenly caught fire, prompting a swift and heroic response from locals. The dramatic incident, captured on CCTV, has since gone viral, drawing widespread praise for the calm evacuation and extraordinary civic action that ensured everyone's safety.

The bus, reportedly operating on the Palakkad-Guruvayur route, was travelling through a busy semi-urban stretch lined with shops and signboards when flames erupted from the lower front engine section. The footage shows the vehicle still in motion when the fire begins, with a fuel station located nearby heightening the potential risk.

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Passengers Evacuate Wit...