A passenger set the bus’ female conductor and himself on fire along Commonwealth Avenue on Sunday, said one of the passengers who witnessed the incident.
In an interview on GMA’s “24 Oras Weekend” on Sunday, the witness said one of the passengers suddenly accosted the bus conductor and the two had a scuffle.
“Biglang sinugod siya ng lalake, ‘yung kaaway niya. Tinulak niya ‘yung konduktora paganon, papunta sa dulo. Ngayon, itong babae na konduktora natumba siyang ganon tapos biglang pagtayo, tinulak niya rin ‘yung lalake, ‘yung kaaway niya,” recounted the witness.
(The man accosted the conductor and pushed her towards the end of the bus. The female conductor fell and when she stood up, she also pushed the man.)
“Tapos itong lalake bigla na lang dumukot na may laman na gas. Bigla niyang binuhos unti-unti doon sa babae ‘yung laman niya gas, sabay sinilaban niya ‘yung babae… Pati ‘yung lalake meron na pala. Balak niya siguro magpakamatay, niliyaban niya rin,” the witness added.
(The man then took out something with kerosene inside. He suddenly spilled the gas on the woman and set her on fire. He also had gas on his body. He might want to commit suicide so he also set himself on fire.)
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Bus passenger set conductor, himself on fire – witness
Both the conductor and the passenger died in the fire. Authorities have yet to identify the two.
Meanwhile, the other passengers seated at the back of the bus escaped through the windows.
“Binuksan ko ‘yung pinto, inano ko ‘yung mga pasahero na makalabas kaya lang talagang kumapal na ‘yung usok sa loob hanggang sa binasag na lang namin ‘yung mga bintana dito para ‘yung mga nasa dulo na pasahero makalabas,” the driver of the bus said.
(I opened the door so the passengers could go out but the smoke thickened so we broke the windows so they could go out at the back.)
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) urged the public to remain on alert when on public transport.
“Lagi po tayong mag-iingat at maging alerto lagi po. At kung saka-sakali man pong magkaroon ng ganito, maging alerto at ‘wag ho tayong magdadala ng flammable materials,” said Fairview Fire Substation Command Inspector Lyn Mercado.