Nine Dead in Bus Fire on Yamuna Expressway, Greater Noida

A tragic incident occurred late on Wednesday night when a sleeper bus travelling from Delhi to Mahoba caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway, resulting in the deaths of nine individuals, including one woman and eight men. The fire erupted at approximately 11:30 PM near kilometre 33 of the Noida-Agra route, as the bus carried around 30 to 35 passengers, triggering panic among those on board.

Witness accounts reveal that chaos ensued as flames rapidly consumed the bus. Several passengers attempted to escape by jumping out of the moving vehicle. Fire services were alerted and responded swiftly, managing to bring the blaze under control. However, the specific cause of the fire remains uncertain, prompting police to gather statements from survivors.

An FIR has been filed by Sunil Kumar, a passenger who was on the bus. According to his report, passengers began to smell smoke emanating from the driver's cabin shortly before the fire broke out. Kumar alleges that when alerted, the driver and the conductor disregarded the concerns, insisting that the burning odour was typical for the bus. The complaint further asserts that the driver continued to smoke despite the warnings.

Minutes later, flames erupted near the driver's seat. Panic intensified as passengers shouted for the driver to stop, but they faced resistance. Reports indicate that the driver and conductor were initially reluctant to halt the bus, even threatening the passengers as they endeavoured to escape.

One survivor, who wished to remain anonymous, detailed his frightening experience. “We were asleep. Someone woke us, saying the bus was on fire. We scrambled out in a panic,” he recounted, highlighting the obstructive smoke that made visibility nearly impossible. Another passenger, Rinki Rajput, described the alarming scenario where she barely managed to flee, leaving personal belongings behind in the frenzy.

It is reported that after the initial warning, flames engulfed parts of the bus and filled it with thick smoke. Rinki noted that the overwhelming smoke made it difficult to breathe, and she feared many passengers may not have managed to escape due to the chaos.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed condolences to the families of the victims. He has ordered officials to ensure that those injured receive adequate medical treatment. The Chief Minister reportedly communicated with the families of the deceased, offering support and promising a detailed investigation into the incident.

As authorities continue their investigations, the tragedy has raised serious questions about safety protocols and passenger safety in public transport systems, particularly regarding the maintenance and operation of vehicles on major routes.