Authorities in Quito are searching for the driver of a city bus involved in a deadly crash that ended in a fire on April 2.
The incident occurred on Mariscal Sucre Avenue, one of the capital’s main north–south routes, in the La Magdalena sector. According to officials, the bus collided with a motorcycle carrying a father and his adult daughter. Both victims died at the scene.
Following the impact, the motorcycle was dragged along the roadway, triggering a fire that quickly engulfed the bus. Emergency crews responded, but the vehicle was largely destroyed.
City officials confirmed that the driver fled the scene after the crash and is now being sought by authorities. The municipal government, under Mayor Pabel Muñoz, has ordered a full investigation and emphasized that the driver will be held accountable.
The Metropolitan Transit Agency has launched an administrative process to determine responsibility, while the Traffic Accident Investigation Service is conducting a technical review of the incident. Authorities have also requested documentation related to the vehicle, the driver, and the operating permits of the transport company involved.
The bus was identified as belonging to a conventional public transport operator, and the crash has raised renewed concerns about road safety and driver accountability in the city.
Officials say the investigation will focus on reconstructing the sequence of events, including the circumstances leading up to the collision and the actions of the driver immediately afterward.
The case has drawn strong public attention, both because of the fatalities and the severity of the fire, as authorities work to locate the driver and clarify what happened.