India
oi-Madhuri Adnal
Nine people were killed after a Raj Kalpana Travels PVT. LTD AC sleeper bus caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida late Wednesday night. The BharatBenz business-class sleeper bus, carrying around 35 passengers, was travelling from Noida to Mahoba when the fire broke out near Dayanatpur village in Jewar.
The fire broke out near Dayanatpur village in the Jewar area, leaving passengers scrambling to escape the bus as thick smoke quickly filled the vehicle.
Nine people died when a Raj Kalpana Travels sleeper bus caught fire late Wednesday night on the Yamuna Expressway near Jewar, Greater Noida, en route from Noida to Mahoba.
One passenger recalled waking up to panic after another passenger alerted him about the fire.
“I was sleeping when someone woke me up and said the bus had caught fire. We all started trying to get out. There was so much smoke that escaping was not easy. Somehow, we managed to get out,” the passenger told news agency ANI.
The passenger said the bus was packed with people, making the situation even more difficult as those inside tried to reach the exits.
Police and emergency teams rushed to the spot after the incident and began rescue and relief operations. Nine people lost their lives, while efforts were underway to assist the survivors.
The exact cause of the fire has not yet been established. Police are expected to investigate how the blaze started and how it spread through the bus.
