SULTAN BATHERY: An electronic ticket machine exploded at the KSRTC Sultanbathery depot, causing minor burns to the driver and conductor. Jacob Antony (44), a native of Ernakulam and driver of the AT C 258 Super Deluxe bus from Thiruvananthapuram depot and conductor MM Mohammad (45) from Perumbavoor sustained burns. The incident took place in the staff stay room around 8 am yesterday. The machine burned out completely. The cause of the explosion is not clear.

The bus reached Bathery from Thiruvananthapuram at 3 am. After parking at the depot, the two were sleeping in the stay room. The machine was placed above the berth where conductor Muhammad was lying. The machine was on fire when the two woke up in shock to the sound of an explosion. Both suffered burns while pushing it down. Employees arrived from the depot and doused the machine with water.

Parts of the burnt machine were collected by the KSRTC IT department for investigation. This is one of the machines KSRTC bought a month ago from a company called Micro FX for Rs 13,500.