As many as 39 passengers travelling in a double-decker sleeper bus had a narrow escape early Sunday morning after the vehicle caught fire near the Rewari toll plaza on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway. The bus, on its way from Delhi to Gonda via Lucknow, suddenly caught fire around 4:45 am for reasons unknown, a senior police official confirmed on Sunday. All passengers were safely evacuated before the vehicle was engulfed in the blaze.
Upon receiving the alert, Kakori police and the fire brigade rushed to the spot. The fire team brought the blaze under control within an hour, preventing it from spreading further. Police said the passengers were quickly rescued before the fire could consume the entire bus.
The incident comes amid rising concerns over bus safety across the country. Earlier this week, 19 passengers, including two minors, were killed when a Hyderabad–Bengaluru sleeper bus caught fire in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool after colliding with a bike. In another tragedy in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer, 25 people died after a short circuit in the vehicle’s air conditioning system triggered a blaze, according to a forensic report.
According to the bus driver, Jagat Singh, the fire broke out about 500 metres before the Rewari toll plaza. The cause is yet to be determined. A technical team will examine the vehicle to find out what triggered the blaze.
The bus company later arranged another vehicle to transport the passengers to their destination. Police said the affected bus was moved aside, and traffic on the expressway soon returned to normal.
{{/usCountry}}The bus company later arranged another vehicle to transport the passengers to their destination. Police said the affected bus was moved aside, and traffic on the expressway soon returned to normal.
{{/usCountry}}Officials commended the swift response of the police and fire personnel, saying their timely action prevented any injuries or loss of life. A case has been registered and further investigation is underway.