20 burned alive as new bus catches fire in Jaisalmer
What's the story
A tragic incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon when an air-conditioned sleeper bus caught fire near Thaiyat village in Jaisalmer. The private bus left Jaisalmer around 3:00pm and was headed to Jodhpur with 57 passengers on board. The fire started from the rear of the vehicle as it crossed the war museum, around 20km from Jaisalmer. The bus accident was reportedly purchased just five days ago.
Escape efforts
Passengers tried to jump out of moving bus
Eyewitnesses said many passengers tried to jump out of the moving bus in a bid to escape the flames. The fire broke out at around 3:30pm, quickly engulfing the entire vehicle. Nineteen passengers died on the spot, while one succumbed to his injuries en route to Jodhpur. The injured were rushed to Jawahar Government Hospital in Jaisalmer before being referred for advanced treatment in Jodhpur.
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Visuals of emergency services at site of fire
VIDEO | Jaisalmer: Fire breaks out in a private bus enroute to Jodhpur near the War Museum; injured passengers rushed to Jawahar Hospital for treatment. pic.twitter.com/OZi7V2GGFA
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 14, 2025
Official response
PM Modi announces ex gratia for victims' families
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his grief over the incident and announced an ex gratia payment of ₹2 lakh for the kin of each deceased. He also announced ₹50,000 for those injured in the mishap. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, accompanied by Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar, visited Jaisalmer to take stock of relief operations and promised all possible help to victims' families.
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PMO's announcement on X
Distressed by the loss of lives due to a mishap in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. My thoughts are with the affected people and their families during this difficult time. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured.
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 14, 2025
An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of…
Ongoing investigation
Cause of fire yet to be ascertained
The cause of the fire is still unknown, but prima facie evidence suggests it could have been a short circuit. The Jaisalmer district administration has started relief operations and is working on identifying the victims through DNA matching before handing over their bodies to family members. Governor Haribhau Bagade, former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, and BJP state president Madan Rathore also expressed their condolences over this unfortunate incident.