EDSA-Ortigas flyover closed after tourist bus fire; motorists advised to take alternate routes

MANILA, Philippines — The EDSA-Ortigas Flyover southbound was temporarily closed to vehicles on Saturday after a tourist bus caught fire in the area the previous evening. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said the closure was in effect as of 10 a.m., advising motorists to take alternate routes while authorities continued post-incident clearing and safety measures. The fire was first reported at around 6:10 p.m. on Friday, along the EDSA-Ortigas southbound lane, occupying two lanes and causing heavy traffic in the area. In an interview, Senior Fire Officer 4 Alvic Alabastro of the Mandaluyong Bureau of Fire Protection said the driver was alone when the incident happened. “When he was going up the flyover, he suddenly felt that something seemed wrong with the movement of his bus, like something stopped the brake, then the tire suddenly caught fire and something exploded. The tire exploded,” Alabastro said. “We are investigating the possible cause of the bus explosion. But according to the driver, allegedly, it suddenly seemed like something stopped the movement of his bus,” he added. The Department of Transportation said MRT-3 operations resumed at 6:50 p.m. Friday after slight delays caused by the fire, with trains running at reduced speeds between Ortigas and Santolan stations due to smoke from the burning bus.

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