Bus driver burns to death after being hit with 'incendiary device' in front of passengers in Australia

A bus driver has died after being set on fire by a Molotov cocktail in the Australian city of Brisbane.

Manmeet Sharma, 29, burned to death in front of his passengers, who included children, in what police condemned as a "senseless attack" on Friday.

Bystanders kicked down the back doors of the municipal bus to rescue the other travellers as the vehicle began to fill with smoke.

Police said an attacker threw an "incendiary device" on to the bus as passengers boarded, leaving witnesses "deeply traumatised" by the incident.

“The flames were all the way up to the ceiling; the whole front cabin was just ablaze,” witness Clair Savage told the Courier Mail.

“It was just massive – it was like a bonfire inside the cabin. They got out because a lovely man kicked the door in because the bus driver was trapped and the back door wasn’t opening.”

The rescuer, taxi driver Aguek Nyok, said to newspaper: “I thought I had to help the people get out or they’re going to die. The bus was already on fire….after they got out, I realised there were three kids inside there. It could’ve been my kids."

Six people escaped from the bus and eleven were given medical treatment for smoke inhalation and other injuries.

A 48-year-old suspect was arrested at the bus stop and placed in custody. In addition to murder, he has been charged with the attempted murder of the other passengers and arson.

Police Superintendent Jim Keogh told reporters: "It's a horrific incident here in the quiet suburb of Moorooka.

"This is a rare one where it appears to be no apparent motive.

"A bus driver, going about, doing his business, supporting the community, has had his life taken from him in what is a senseless and needless act.

"It's lucky the whole bus didn't become engulfed in flames."