Driver, football fans help save 42 Umrah pilgrims from Kerala bus fire

A group of local youths who were awake watching a FIFA World Cup match rushed to assist

Last updated: June 23, 2026 | 15:11

Devadasan K P, Chief Visual Editor

1 MIN READ

Driver, football fans help save 42 Umrah pilgrims from Kerala bus fire

Dubai: A major tragedy was averted in Kerala after a tourist bus carrying 42 Umrah pilgrims caught fire near Kannur International Airport early on Tuesday.

The bus, which had left Wayanad on Monday night, caught fire at Shivapuram near Mattannur. The driver noticed a burning smell and stopped the vehicle to investigate. On discovering flames spreading from the rear of the bus, he immediately woke the sleeping passengers and helped them evacuate safely.

A group of local youths who were awake watching a FIFA World Cup match rushed to assist. They joined the rescue effort and helped remove passengers' luggage before the fire spread further.

Fire and Rescue Services teams from Mattannur and Koothuparamba, along with local residents, worked to bring the blaze under control. The fire also spread to a nearby fruit shop, causing damage.

Authorities said no one was injured in the incident. Nearby houses were also spared, preventing what could have been a much larger disaster.

With inputs from Agencies

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Devadasan K PChief Visual Editor

Devadasan K P is the Chief Visual Editor at Gulf News, bringing more than 27 years of experience in photojournalism to the role. He leads the Visual desk with precision, speed, and a strong editorial instinct. Whether he’s selecting images of royalty, chasing the biggest celebrity moments in Dubai, or covering live events himself, Devadasan is always a few steps ahead of the action. Over the years, he has covered a wide range of major assignments — including the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, feature reportage from Afghanistan, the IMF World Bank meetings, and wildlife series from Kenya. His work has been widely recognised with industry accolades, including the Minolta Photojournalist of the Year award in 2005, the Best Picture Award at the Dubai Shopping Festival in 2008, and a Silver Award from the Society for News Design in 2011. He handles the newsroom pressure with a calm attitude, a quick response time, and his signature brand of good-natured Malayali humour. There's no fuss — just someone who gets the job done very well, every single time.

Driver, football fans help save 42 Umrah pilgrims from Kerala bus fire

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