Bus driver dies of heart attack on duty, but saves over 40 lives

Braving a severe heart attack while at the wheel, a 52-year-old driver of a government bus managed to stop the vehicle on a ghat road in Udhgamandalam, saving the lives of 40 passengers, but died soon after his effort, police said.

The driver Ramasami managed to steer the bus to the left side of the ghat road at Burliyar, about 25 km here, where it hit the rocky face of the mountain, turned turtle and stopped. He then collapsed on the steering wheel and died on the spot.

His presence of mind in not turning to the right, where there is a 600 feet drop, saved the lives of the passengers, 15 of whom were injured, they said.

Fire and rescue service personnel from Coonoor and Mettupalayam in Coimbatore district rushed to the spot and took the injured to hospital.

The bus was proceeding to Erode from this tourist town when the driver suffered a heart attack.