9 killed after AC bus catches fire in Greater Noida
What's the story
Nine people, including one woman and eight men, were killed after an AC sleeper bus caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida late Wednesday night. Most of them were asleep when the fire broke out. The sleeper tourist bus was traveling from Kashmiri Gate, New Delhi, to Mahoba when the incident took place in Dayanatpur village in Jewar, on the Yamuna Expressway. The bus driver and conductor fled after the fire.
Cause of fire
Fire ignited by AC blast
Preliminary investigations suggest the fire started from a blast in the bus' air conditioning system. This explosion is believed to have ignited the engine oil, causing the flames to spread rapidly.
A short circuit is also suspected as a possible cause for this incident.
The bus was seen burning intensely on the side of the expressway, with flames quickly engulfing it.
Escape efforts
Panic among passengers
The fire created panic among passengers, several of whom jumped out of the bus through windows to escape.
A passenger recalled, "I was asleep when someone banged on the door. When I woke up, there was already a huge crowd. I didn't pick up any of my belongings; I didn't even put on my shoes. I just grabbed my phone and stepped out."
The bus driver and conductor managed to escape the scene by the time authorities arrived.
Ongoing investigation
FIR filed
India Today, which accessed the FIR registered in connection with the fire, reported that the FIR says that at around 11:30pm, when the bus BR32PA8647 reached near kilometre 33 of the Noida-Agra route, passengers allegedly noticed a burning smell coming from the driver's cabin.
According to the complaint, some passengers informed the driver and conductor about the smell, but the driver dismissed their concerns, saying that such a smell was common on the bus.
Official response
Yogi Adityanath announces compensation
Jewar Station House Officer Ajay Kumar Singh said, "A few passengers said that as the bus reached the Yamuna Expressway, they experienced a small burning-smell and asked the driver to stop."
"By the time the driver stopped the vehicle, the fire broke out and quickly engulfed the vehicle," he added.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced a compensation of ₹2 lakh each for the families of those who died and ₹50,000 each for those injured.