The Works and Transport Ministry has revealed that the bus which caught fire at Malageregere, Sigatoka in August last year claiming twelve lives, was unfit to take passengers.

Spokesperson Sainiana Waqainabete said the findings concluded that there was insufficient work done on the bus to ensure its safety before its journey, as the mechanics working on the bus did not test drive it.

She said this puts into question the merits of the tests done before the trip, as there was also a lack of proper quality assurance checks.

Waqainabete added the findings also alleged that the company also breached requirements on the driver's driving hours.

He drove over ten hours and had just returned from Pacific Harbour when he was again sent for this fateful journey.

The report also questioned the driver's behaviour from various statements showing unstableness, failure to detect and appropriately react to the situation.

Following this incident government has seriously looked into the safety aspects of the bus industry, especially since there were a number of other bus fires which also happened in the past months around the country.

Some measures proposed include, extra emergency exits for all glass windows, rear emergency doors to be installed in buses, proposed amendments that will oversee an age cut off limit to public transport and adoption of quality assurance maintenance system by public transport license holders to ensure the safety of passengers who use the various modes of travel.

This report has been forwarded to Prime Minister’s office.