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Raj: Bus comes in contact with high tension wire, catches fire; 2 UP labourers dead
Officials said the bus roof was overloaded with luggage, two-wheelers, LPG cylinders, and other belongings of the passengers.
At least two labourers from Uttar Pradesh were killed and six others injured after a private sleeper bus caught fire upon hitting a high-tension power line in Manoharpura, Jaipur, on Tuesday morning, the police said.
According to Shahpura DSP Mukesh Chaudhary, the incident occurred around 10:30am when the bus, carrying 45 labourers from Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, was heading towards a brick kiln in Manoharpura’s Toda area. “The bus came in contact with an 11,000-KV high-tension line and caught fire,” Chaudhary said.
Officials said the bus roof was overloaded with luggage, two-wheelers, LPG cylinders, and other belongings of the passengers. “Due to the overloading, the roof touched the high-tension wire. The bus was electrocuted, leading to explosions from the cylinders and vehicle engines, which caused a massive fire,” Chaudhary added.
Three LPG cylinders and two motorcycles were later recovered in a burnt condition.
A local villager, Mahesh, who witnessed the incident, said, “The driver initially stopped the bus about 300-400 metres away after spotting the high-tension line, but the conductor insisted it was safe to move ahead. When the bus advanced, it struck the wire and caught fire.”
Many passengers managed to escape, and locals helped rescue several others. However, two passengers — Naseem (50) and Saheenam (20) — were burnt alive on the spot. Six others were injured and initially taken to a local hospital before being referred to Jaipur’s Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital due to their critical condition.
Senior administrative officials, along with police teams from Manoharpura and Shahpura and a fire brigade, reached the scene promptly and doused the flames after several hours.
“No case has been registered yet. The matter is under investigation. We will question the driver, conductor, eyewitnesses, and passengers,” DSP Chaudhary said.
SMS Hospital additional superintendent Dr Pradeep Sharma said all six injured persons were first treated in the emergency unit before being shifted to the burn ward. “Their condition is now stable. They have suffered burns ranging from 10% to 45%. Four are women, one is a man, and one is a minor boy. One woman, Naheem (30), will be discharged soon,” Sharma said.
According to hospital data, Sitara (40) sustained 45% burns, Chanda Begum (40) had 25%, Najma (40) suffered 15%, while Altaf (22) and Azhar (10) had 10% burns each.
Chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma directed hospital authorities to ensure the best possible treatment for the injured.
“A fire broke out in a bus filled with labourers coming from another state. Preliminary information suggests that three LPG cylinders were on board, one of which exploded when the bus came in contact with a high-tension wire. Two people have died, and the injured are being treated. A detailed investigation is underway,” deputy chief minister and transport minister Prem Chand Bairwa said.
Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot expressed condolences on X, stating, “The incident in Manoharpura is extremely tragic. It is concerning that such accidents are occurring frequently in Rajasthan.”
