Viral Transjakarta Bus Emits Thick Smoke at Pancoran Stop, Causing Passenger Panic — Here's the Cause

Jakarta, VIVA – The scene at Pancoran Bus Stop in South Jakarta suddenly turned chaotic on Saturday afternoon, 14 February 2026. A Transjakarta corridor 9 bus operating the Pinang Ranti–Pluit route unexpectedly emitted thick smoke from its rear section whilst stopped at the halt.

The incident quickly went viral on social media. In circulating footage, dense plumes of smoke could be seen billowing from the rear engine area of the bus. A number of passengers were visibly panicked and rushed to disembark to safety.

The incident occurred at approximately 13:33 WIB. The affected vehicle, identified as fleet number DMR 715, belongs to operator Damri. In response, Transjakarta issued a public apology.

“PT Transportasi Jakarta (Transjakarta) extends its sincerest apologies for the technical malfunction that occurred on bus fleet DMR 715, belonging to operator Damri on Corridor 9 route (Pinang Ranti–Pluit) at Pancoran Stop on Saturday, 14 February 2026, at 13:33 WIB,” said Transjakarta’s Head of Public Relations and CSR Department, Ayu Wardhani, in a statement on Monday, 16 February 2026.

Based on initial inspections, the malfunction was triggered by a problem with the rear engine compartment cover. A radiator leak occurred alongside the dislodging of the fan belt, producing the thick smoke. Fortunately, there were no casualties in the incident. All passengers were successfully evacuated promptly.

“All passengers were safely evacuated to the bus stop area and transferred to the next bus in an orderly manner,” she said.

As a follow-up measure, Transjakarta immediately withdrew the vehicle from service.

“Transjakarta has decided to ground the bus fleet temporarily. This step was taken to carry out a comprehensive inspection and ensure every unit meets strict roadworthiness standards before being permitted to return to passenger service,” she said.

The response did not stop there, as an internal investigation was also launched. Transjakarta inspected 59 articulated CNG-powered buses of the Zhongtong brand, particularly their cooling systems.

“We are committed to zero tolerance for any neglect of technical standards in order to guarantee passenger safety and comfort as our top priority. All affected fleet units will undergo a technical audit before returning to passenger service,” she said.