Latur, March 12 A Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) bus caught fire at the Nilanga stand in Latur on Thursday evening while being filled with diesel, leaving a fuel operator seriously injured, a police official said.
The incident occurred at 8 pm, he added.
"The bus was completely destroyed. The fire started after a sudden spark during the refuelling process. Fuel operator Baswaraj Mathpati sustained severe burn injuries. He has been admitted to the district hospital in a critical condition," he said.
The fire could have caused a major tragedy as there were fuel tanks nearby, but timely intervention by firefighters, who were alerted by local corporator Ishwar Patil, defused the situation, the official added.
An investigation has begun to determine the cause of the fire, he said.