Tripureshwor bus fire driver dies during treatment

Kathmandu, September 22, 2026 — A 25-year-old public bus driver who suffered severe burns after a fire broke out inside his bus in Tripureshwor has died during treatment.

Arjun Dawa Lama died while undergoing treatment at Kirtipur Hospital, hospital director Nijina Tamrakar said. More than 90 percent of his body had been burned.

The fire broke out inside Ba 5 Kha 4274, a Riddhi Siddhi Yatayat bus travelling from Mulpani toward Thankot. Firefighters brought the blaze under control shortly after the incident.

Police said Lama had a dispute with traffic police at 12:37 p.m., a few minutes before the fire.

Lama was originally from Sisneri in Makwanpur’s Indrasarowar Rural Municipality and had been living in Koteshwor, Kathmandu. He was one of seven brothers.

He had worked as a vehicle driver for six to seven years. He had previously driven taxis and vehicles operated by Chandragiri Yatayat and had been working for Riddhi Siddhi Yatayat for the past three to four months.

Police have formed two separate committees to investigate the incident. One committee is led by Senior Superintendent of Police Ramesh Basnet of the Kathmandu Valley Police Office, Ranipokhari, while the other is led by the Assistant Chief District Officer of Kathmandu.

Police earlier rescued Lama after breaking open the bus door and took him to the Burn Center in Kirtipur for treatment.

Police are continuing to investigate the actual cause of the fire and the circumstances surrounding the incident.