Smell leads to bus evacuation

All the passengers on a cramped bus travelling from St Julians to Valletta yesterday afternoon had to vacate the vehicle because of a sharp smell which left them coughing and gasping for air.

The bus was stopped at Ta' Xbiex at about 3 p.m. after the people sitting at the back started shouting and pushing their way to the front in order to leave the vehicle. They were covering their mouths and noses with their clothes in order not to breathe in the foul air.

Eventually all passengers and the driver had to vacate the bus because it had become difficult to breathe and even after leaving, people continued to cough. Most had tears in their eyes and were complaining.

After some time the driver returned to the bus and checked the seats but he did not find anything out of the ordinary. The smell had by then subsided and most passengers returned to their seats and the journey continued.

Public Transport Authority president Victor Spiteri said when told about the incident he would be filing a report to the Malta Transport Authority (ADT).

ADT spokesman Daniela Borg Mizzi said when contacted she was not in the position to comment about the incident. She said that the person who would normally deal with such matters was on leave and there was no one else who could give information.