Did three-wheeler passengers set fire to bus?

Conductor burnt to death as bus catches fire

BY JOSEPH Pius, Wattala special correspondent

A bus conductor was burnt to death when a private bus caught fire on the Fort-Airport main bus route yesterday morning, Kandana police said.

Kandana Police, on receipt of information that a private bus was on fire in Nagoda, Welisara along the Fort-Airport main bus route, arrived at the scene of incident around 4.00 a.m. yesterday and found the completely burnt bus with the conductor's body.

Police said this bus had broken down the previous day around 7.30 p.m. on its way from the Airport to Colombo.

The driver had gone to find a way to move it away while the conductor remained in the bus. The conductor had fallen asleep while the driver was away and a fire had broken out. Efforts by police and people to put off the fire had failed. When the Navy Fire Brigade arrived, it was too late to extinguish the fire.

The conductor was identified as Sanjeewa Pushpakumara, a 23-year-old resident of Ratnapura.

Meanwhile Police also allege that this bus knocked down a three-wheeler and the three-wheeler occupants set fire to the bus after tying the conductor to the vehicle.

The bus was due to be referred to the Government Analyst to ascertain the cause of fire. Investigations are continuing under Chief Inspector Abeygunawardena, OIC of Kandana Police.