Greater Noida: 9 killed as fire engulfs double-decker bus on Yamuna Expressway

• Nine people, including a woman, died and several others were seriously injured when a double-decker bus caught fire near Jewar

• Police have registered a case and taken the driver and conductor into custody. Efforts to identify those who died are under way

• Investigators suspect a spark or blast in the air-conditioning system ignited engine oil, but the cause has yet to be confirmed

Nine people, including a woman, died and several others were seriously injured after a double-decker bus caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida on Thursday, officials said. Police have taken the driver and conductor into custody and registered a case.

The bus was travelling from Kashmiri Gate in New Delhi towards Mahoba in Uttar Pradesh when the fire broke out near the expressway’s 33 km milestone, within the jurisdiction of Jewar police station. More than 30 passengers were reportedly on board.

The blaze caused panic inside the vehicle. The blaze spread rapidly, prompting some passengers to jump through windows to escape. More than 20 people were safely evacuated, officials said.

Police and a fire tender stationed at the Jewar toll plaza responded to the incident. Four more fire tenders and a fire service unit were sent to the scene, and the fire was extinguished. Rescuers found nine people dead inside the bus. According to rescue personnel, they appeared to have died from burns or suffocation.

Preliminary investigations suggest that a spark or blast in the bus’s air-conditioning system may have ignited engine lubricating oil, causing the fire to spread. The cause remains under investigation.

Police are working to identify those who died. Officials said legal proceedings were under way following the registration of a case.

With IANS inputs