At least nine passengers were killed after a sleeper bus caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway near Jewar in Greater Noida early Thursday, September 24. Several other passengers were injured, while around 20 people were rescued from the burning vehicle, officials said.
The bus was carrying around 35 passengers and was travelling from Delhi towards Mahoba in Uttar Pradesh when the fire broke out near the 33-kilometre mark of the Yamuna Expressway, within the Jewar police station area.
Most passengers were reportedly asleep when the fire started. As smoke quickly filled the bus, passengers rushed to escape. Some managed to get out through the windows as the blaze spread rapidly through the vehicle.
One survivor described the frightening escape, saying, “I was sleeping when someone woke me up saying the bus had caught fire, and we all scrambled to get out. It was not an easy situation to escape, there was a lot of smoke.”
Firefighters and police teams rushed to the spot after receiving information about the incident. Rescue personnel evacuated passengers and worked to bring the fire under control.
The incident happened late Wednesday night, with reports putting the time at around 11 pm. The bus was travelling towards Mahoba when the blaze broke out near Jewar.
Preliminary reports have suggested that a problem in the bus’s air-conditioning system may have triggered the fire. However, officials have not yet established the final cause, and the investigation is continuing.
Police have also begun investigating the circumstances leading to the deaths. The bus driver and conductor have been arrested, and a case has been registered in connection with the incident, according to police sources.
The accident has once again raised concerns about emergency safety measures in sleeper buses, particularly the ability of passengers to escape quickly when a fire breaks out while a vehicle is moving.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed condolences over the deaths and directed officials to ensure proper treatment for those injured and assistance for the families of the victims.
The investigation into the fire and the circumstances surrounding the deaths is underway.
