by InTrieste
A city bus traveling to the town of Muggia early Saturday morning caught fire on an overpass in the industrial outskirts of Trieste, prompting an emergency response but resulting in no injuries, according to local authorities.
The incident occurred around 5:30 a.m. on Via dei Fonditori, a route used by city buses before they begin daily passenger service. The vehicle, a Rampini model in operation for the past eight years, was not carrying passengers at the time.
The driver noticed an anomaly and acted swiftly, stopping the vehicle and alerting firefighters. Despite the quick response, the flames consumed the bus’s structure entirely. No other vehicles were involved.
“This is a highly unusual and unprecedented incident for this type of bus,” Trieste Trasporti, the regional public transit company, said in a statement. Rampini buses have been part of the company’s fleet for approximately two decades.
The transit authority has initiated a full technical investigation, involving an internal commission, independent experts, and the vehicle manufacturer, to determine the cause of the fire. As a precaution, all similar models currently in service will undergo inspections.
“The safety of our passengers and personnel is our top priority,” the company emphasized, pledging to release updates as soon as more information becomes available.
