A man whose parents were travelling on a Bihar-registered bus that caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida said his father is still missing while his injured mother is hospitalised. “ My home has been devastated. What will I do with ₹2 lakh? Now I have nothing left,” he said, as he spoke about the loss his family has suffered.
The bus, travelling from Delhi to Mahoba in Bihar and carrying more than 35 people, was engulfed in flames late Wednesday night. Nine people were killed, while 20 were rescued.
Also read | Greater Noida bus that caught fire had 9 challans in Delhi for overspeeding, improper parking
Deep Dive
What caused the bus fire on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida?
What safety lapses may have contributed to the Greater Noida bus fire?
How often do sleeper buses catch fire, and what are the main causes?
Sarvoday Bharadwaj said his parents were travelling to attend a family gathering following the death of his grandmother when the incident took place. He recalled speaking to them around 10 pm, but was unable to contact them the following morning.
Son recalls last conversation with parents
"My grandmother passed away yesterday. My parents were travelling to be with the family when this tragedy happened. I spoke to them at around 10 pm. Everything was fine. At 6 in the morning, I tried tracking the bus, but the location was unavailable. Their phones were switched off," Sarvoday told NDTV.
Sarvoday also said that his mother was injured while attempting to leave the bus after the fire broke out. His father, who had undergone surgery on his leg and had a rod in it, was unable to move quickly during the chaos.
{{/usCountry}}Sarvoday also said that his mother was injured while attempting to leave the bus after the fire broke out. His father, who had undergone surgery on his leg and had a rod in it, was unable to move quickly during the chaos.
{{/usCountry}}Also read | Blast in AC set engine oil ablaze: What caused Greater Noida bus fire that killed 9
"My mother tried to get out of the bus but fell. People climbed over her in the chaos. She has an injury to her eye and a fractured rib. My father has a rod in his leg. He could not move quickly or get out. He is still missing," said Sarvoday.
‘Bus agency did not cooperate’
Sarvoday also alleged that his attempts to obtain information from the bus company were unsuccessful.
"I kept asking the bus agency, 'At least give me a number so I can find out where my parents are.' But they did not cooperate," Sarvoday said.
"Accidents keep happening in India: a plane crashes, a train meets with an accident, a bus catches fire. Where is the safety? This must be investigated-how the fire started, how quickly it spread, and whether the exit door was locked," Sarvoday added.
The bus that caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida, had nine challans in Delhi, mostly for overspeeding and improper parking, DCP Traffic Central Range K Ramesh said on Thursday.
“This bus has nine challans in Delhi, mostly for overspeeding and improper parking,” Ramesh told ANI.
The bus, bearing registration number BR32PA8647, was travelling from Kashmere Gate in New Delhi to Mahoba in Uttar Pradesh when it caught fire near the 33-km milestone on the expressway in the Jewar police station area.
What caused the fire?
Kumar said a preliminary investigation indicated that a spark or blast in the air-conditioning system might have caused the engine lubricant oil to catch fire, following which the blaze spread rapidly.
Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Ajeet Kumar Singh said the incident occurred around 11.20 pm on Wednesday and said the fire was caused by a short circuit.
The FIR was registered at the Jewar police station on a complaint by passenger Suneel Kumar, a resident of Hamirpur district.