Road Mishap / OSRTC Bus Collides With Fire Services Vehicle in Ganjam District; One Personnel Injured

Khallikote, Sep 24: An OSRTC bus operating under the Mukhyamantri Bus Seva (MBS) Scheme collided with a Fire Services vehicle on the Narayani-Badapalli road under Khallikote police station limits in Ganjam district on Thursday, a source said.

According to the source, the Fire Services vehicle was heading towards the area after a tree fell across the road following heavy rain and strong winds, blocking traffic. Fire Services personnel were on their way to clear the road when the collision took place near Kamarsingi under Badapalli panchayat.

The OSRTC bus was travelling from Khallikote towards Narayani Square via Badapalli when it collided with the Fire Services vehicle coming from the opposite direction.

The Fire Services vehicle was damaged in the collision, while one of its personnel sustained injuries. The driver and other occupants of the bus were reported to be safe.

The bus driver Prakash Goud, however, gave a different account of the incident. “I was driving from Khallikote to Narayani Square. It was raining heavily. I was taking the turn when the collision happened. I applied brakes but they did not work and hence the right front bumper collided with the Fire Services vehicle. There were no passengers in the bus,” he said.

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Fire Services official Dhananjay Mallick alleged that the bus was travelling at high speed while negotiating the turn. “The bus was taking the turn at a high speed. The driver could not show his valid driving licence. One of our colleagues is also injured,” he said.

Following the collision, officials from the Fire Services Department reached the spot. Personnel associated with both vehicles were later seen at Khallikote police station.