Palembang, KOTABARI.COM – A total of 12 Trans Musi buses that had been inactive for a long time were engulfed in flames at the Alang-Alang Lebar (AAL) Terminal in Palembang on Sunday, October 8, 2023. The incident occurred around 1:00 PM local time.
The blue-colored buses were parked in a row within the terminal’s premises before the fire broke out. The incident began when local residents noticed thick smoke and rapidly spreading flames. They immediately sought assistance from nearby residents, but due to strong winds, the fire quickly consumed the buses that had been parked at the location for an extended period.
An eyewitness, Udin, described the moment when the fire first appeared. “Initially, I saw thick black smoke billowing, and I panicked, shouting for help. The community gathered, using whatever tools they had to battle the raging flames. Some residents also contacted the PBK (local disaster management agency),” Udin said.
Confirming the incident, Kompol M Ikang Ade Putra, the police chief of Sukarame, Palembang, stated, “The incident occurred around 1:00 PM, and approximately 12 units were affected.” He further explained that the Trans Musi buses that caught fire had been out of operation for about five years and were in a severely damaged condition.
As of now, authorities are still at the scene conducting investigations. The firefighting effort took a considerable amount of time, approximately one hour, before the flames were successfully extinguished by the Palembang City Fire Department personnel.