Nine people, including a woman, were charred to death after a massive fire broke out on a double-decker bus on the Yamuna Expressway in Uttar Pradesh’s Greater Noida on Thursday.
The incident took place within the jurisdiction of the Jewar police station.
The incident triggered panic among passengers. Several reportedly jumped from the bus windows in an attempt to escape the flames.
More than 30 passengers were travelling on the bus when it suddenly caught fire. Nine passengers, including a woman, were trapped inside and burnt alive in the blaze.
The double-decker bus was travelling from Noida towards Mahoba via the Yamuna Expressway when the fire broke out.
After receiving information about the incident, a fire brigade team and personnel from the Jewar police station reached the spot and began rescue and relief operations.
Passengers were evacuated from the bus, while several others were reportedly rescued after the windows were broken to facilitate their 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. It was so crowded that people were shoving each other. I was pushed around, and someone eventually pulled me out. I don’t remember anything else after that.”
“It was completely filled with smoke; the scene was chaotic, and getting out was extremely difficult…It was so smoky that nothing was visible; people were suffocating inside,” added the survivor.
“Very few managed to escape, only those who could push their way out amidst the shoving…Many people lost their lives…There were quite a few people behind me who probably couldn’t make it out, as I myself got out quite late,” she further added.
Expressing grief on the incident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced Rs 2 lakh aid for families of deceased and Rs 50,000 each for the injured in the Greater Noida bus fire.
CM Yogi also expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. He assured all possible assistance to the next of kin.
He also directed officials to ensure proper medical treatment for those injured in the accident and wished for their speedy recovery.
Police and fire department teams remain at the scene as authorities work to establish the circumstances surrounding the fire. The exact cause of the blaze was not immediately known.
The bus was carrying a large quantity of luggage, including baggage loaded on its roof. The substantial amount of luggage has also drawn attention in the wake of the incident.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire originated from a spark or blast in the bus’s air conditioning system, which ignited the engine’s lubricating oil and caused the fire to spread rapidly.
The driver and conductor were taken into custody, and a case was registered under relevant sections, officials said.
