Bus driver averts tragedy by safely evacuating passengers off a burning bus on West Gate Bridge

Bus driver, Navdeep Singh, who swiftly evacuated his passengers moments before his bus became engulfed in flames on Melbourne's West Gate Bridge, is being hailed a hero for his bravery and quick thinking.

Bus driver, Navdeep Singh. Credit: Photograph courtesy Channel 9 News video footage.

Key Points

• Navdeep Singh successfully evacuated himself and his passengers from a burning bus on Melbourne's West Gate Bridge, preventing any injuries.
• Kinetic, the bus company responsible for the vehicle, commended Mr Singh for his quick thinking and heroic efforts.
• The company has commenced an internal investigation and arranged an independent inspection and safety review of its fleet.

A public bus driver's quick thinking and swift response saved lives as his vehicle carrying passengers became engulfed in flames on the West Gate Bridge on the evening of 10 July.

Bus driver, Navdeep Singh, was operating the regular 232 service from the city to Altona North.

The terrifying incident unfolded around 5:45pm on Monday when his bus burst into an inferno, causing panic among commuters and bringing traffic to a standstill on the major thoroughfare during peak hour.

Despite the intensity of the blaze, no injuries were reported.

Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) confirmed that the diesel-powered bus was carrying passengers when the fire broke out.

"The fire on the outbound lane was reported at 5:54 pm. FRV confirms that the driver and the two passengers were self-evacuated before the crews arrived and were unharmed," FRV said in a statement.

Kinetic, the bus company responsible for the vehicle, commended Navdeep Singh's heroic actions and expressed gratitude for his swift response.

We praise the driver for following procedure and safely evacuating the passengers and himself swiftly, and immediately contacting emergency services.

Kinetic spokesperson

It is understood Mr Singh is receiving support through the company's employee assistance program, and efforts are being made to ensure the well-being of the passengers involved.

Given the nature of the distressing incident, Mr Singh is unavailable for an interview at this time. SBS Punjabi will soon arrange an interview once he returns to work.

Kinetic also confirmed the initiation of a comprehensive internal investigation, collaborating closely with the Department of Transport and Planning and the regulator, Safe Transport Victoria, to determine the cause of the fire.

"The bus involved in the incident was a diesel bus. We have also arranged an independent inspection of the bus and will undertake an additional safety review of our fleet," the spokesperson told SBS Punjabi.

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