Greater Noida, September 24: Nine passengers were killed and several others injured after a private sleeper bus caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway near Jewar in Greater Noida early Thursday. The incident took place around 11:30 pm near kilometre 33 of the expressway. The bus was travelling from Delhi towards Mahoba and reportedly had around 30 to 35 passengers on board.
According to a police complaint, passengers noticed a burning smell and smoke coming from the driver’s cabin and alerted the driver and conductor. They allegedly asked the crew to stop the bus and inspect the source of the smell, but the complaint states that their warnings were not acted upon immediately. Soon afterwards, flames reportedly erupted near the driver’s seat and spread rapidly through the vehicle.
As the fire intensified, some passengers reportedly jumped through windows to escape. Several injured passengers were taken to a hospital for treatment. Police have registered a case and arrested the driver and conductor in connection with the incident. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, while preliminary reports have pointed to a possible technical fault. Authorities are continuing rescue and investigative efforts.
