Nine Killed as Sleeper Bus Catches Fire on Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida

At least nine people, including a woman, were killed and several others injured when a sleeper tourist bus caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway in Uttar Pradesh's Greater Noida late on Wednesday night.

Around 35 passengers were on board the bus, which was travelling from Noida to Mahoba. Most of them were asleep when the fire broke out, officials said.

Preliminary investigation points to a blast in the bus's air-conditioning system as the origin of the blaze. The explosion is believed to have ignited the engine's lubricating oil, causing the flames to spread rapidly through the vehicle. The exact cause is yet to be established, though early reports also indicate that a short circuit may have triggered the fire.

As the flames engulfed the bus, panic broke out among passengers. Several people escaped by jumping out through the windows, while the vehicle was seen burning intensely on the side of the expressway.

A fire brigade team and personnel from the Jewar police station reached the spot after being alerted and began rescue and relief operations. Police and fire department teams remain at the site as operations continue.

One passenger described waking to the sound of someone banging on the door, by which time a large crowd had already gathered. She said she grabbed only her phone and left her belongings behind, and that the shoving in the smoke-filled bus made it extremely difficult to get out. Very few managed to escape, she added, and several people behind her likely could not make it out.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took stock of the situation and expressed condolences to the families of those who died. He directed officials to ensure proper treatment for the injured and to provide all possible assistance to the families of the deceased. A compensation of Rs 2 lakh each has been announced for the families of the dead and Rs 50,000 each for those injured.