In a tragic incident, a running bus caught fire at Puintala in Balangir district, leaving five people dead and 40 others injured. The bus was going from Bhubaneswar to Sinapali.

The OSRCTC bus hit a tree on roadside and went into flames. At least five people were charred to death. A short-circuit in the engine battery was attributed to the fire. Many passengers were at sleep, as the incident occurred at around 3 AM.

Fire tenders were rushed in to douse the fire. All injured have been admitted to the Balangir District Headquarters hospital. At least 8-10 injured are said to be very critical.