China's first fireproof bus began trial run Wednesday in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province.

The fireproof vehicle is equipped with nine shower nozzles on the roof, which will sprinkle extinguishing agent after the driver presses a button on his left, said Song Xiaoyong, director of the fire prevention division of the provincial fire-control department.

The agent could cool the air and put out the fire in 60 seconds, and meanwhile dilute the toxic fumes in the bus, Song said, adding the spray would cause no harm to human body.

If the engine catches fire, a dry powder extinguishing system will be triggered automatically, or manually in case of emergency, he said.

On June 5, 2009, a bus in Chengdu caught fire and left 25 passengers dead. "After the accident, we have been working on how to make the vehicle more fire-resistant," Song said.

The extinguishing equipment, costing 20,000 to 30,000 yuan (US$2,930 to US$4,395), would be installed on all buses of the city if proved working well, he said.

(Xinhua News Agency December 10, 2009)