At least nine people were killed and several others injured after a sleeper tourist bus caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida on Thursday morning.
According to reports, the bus, carrying around 30-35 passengers, was travelling from Delhi to Mahoba in Uttar Pradesh when the fire broke out. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
Most passengers were reportedly asleep when the incident occurred, with several attempting to escape by jumping through the bus windows.
Local residents rushed to the spot and began rescue efforts, which were later joined by police and fire brigade teams.
“I was asleep when someone banged on the door. When I woke up, there was already a huge crowd. I didn’t pick up any of my belongings; I didn’t even put on my shoes. I just grabbed my phone and stepped out,” a passenger told ANI.
“It was so smoky that nothing was visible; people were suffocating inside. Very few managed to escape, only those who could push their way out amid the chaos. Many people lost their lives. There were quite a few people behind me who probably couldn’t make it out, as I myself got out quite late,” she added.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognisance of the incident and extended his condolences to the families of those who died in the fire.
The chief minister directed officials to ensure proper treatment for the injured and to provide all possible assistance to the families of the deceased after communicating with them, according to an official statement.
More details awaited
