Nine people were killed when a sleeper bus travelling from Delhi to Mahoba caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida late on Wednesday, September 23. The blaze broke out around 11:30 pm near the 33-km milestone in the Jewar area. Around 30 to 35 people were on board, many of them asleep, when smoke and flames spread through the vehicle.
Passengers rushed towards the exits as the bus filled with smoke. Some escaped through windows, while others were unable to get out. Firefighters reached the scene and brought the blaze under control. Police have detained the driver and conductor, identified as Pawan and Yogesh.
FIR alleges passengers warnings were ignored
According to an FIR filed on passenger Sunil Kumar’s complaint, travellers noticed a burning smell near the driver’s cabin before the flames appeared. They alerted the driver and conductor and asked them to check it, but the driver allegedly dismissed the smell as normal and continued driving. The complaint also alleges that the two were smoking bidis or cigarettes in the cabin.
Flames then appeared near the driver’s seat, the FIR says. As passengers shouted for the bus to stop, the fire spread and thick smoke made escape difficult. These are allegations recorded in the complaint; investigators have yet to establish whether smoking played any role in starting the fire.
Survivor Rinki Rajput said she was asleep when someone alerted her. She left her belongings behind and struggled through a crowded, smoke-filled passage before someone helped pull her out. Another passenger seated towards the rear said people ran as soon as they realised the bus was burning.
Fire cause under investigation
Additional District Magistrate Ajit Singh said a short circuit caused the fire. The precise sequence of events and any lapses in the crew’s response remain under investigation. Officials are examining the bus and survivors’ accounts as police proceed with the case.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences and announced ₹2 lakh for the next of kin of each person killed and ₹50,000 for each injured passenger. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also spoke to victims’ families, directed officials to ensure treatment for the injured, and announced assistance of ₹2 lakh for each bereaved family and ₹50,000 for each injured person.
