Nine people lost their lives when a private bus traveling from Delhi to Mahoba burst into flames on the Yamuna Expressway near Jewar on Wednesday night. Several other passengers suffered burn injuries and were rushed to Kailash Hospital in Jewar.
The blaze broke out around 11:30 pm near the 33-kilometre mark of the expressway, as the bus, run by Raj Kalpana Travels was headed from Delhi toward Agra. Sunil Kumar, a Hamirpur resident who filed the police complaint, said roughly 30-35 people were on board at the time.
As per the complaint, passengers first noticed a burning smell coming from the driver’s cabin and alerted the driver and conductor. However, the two allegedly ignored the warning, continued smoking inside the cabin, and brushed off the concern as something routine for the bus.
Soon after, fire broke out near the driver’s seat and spread quickly through the vehicle. Passengers shouted for the driver to stop, but he allegedly delayed doing so. As smoke filled the cabin, many riders found themselves trapped. Sunil and a few others managed to leap out once the bus finally halted, but others couldn’t escape the flames and smoke in time.
The injured were taken to Kailash Hospital, where the complainant later learned that nine people had died. The complaint also noted that passengers’ belongings like bags, phones, and luggage stored inside and on top of the bus were destroyed in the fire.
Police have registered a case and launched an investigation. The identities of the victims and the exact cause of the fire have not yet been confirmed. Authorities are expected to inspect the bus and gather survivor accounts to determine how the fire started and whether safety protocols were followed.
