Dozens feared dead as sleeper bus catches fire on Jaisalmer-Jodhpur highway in India
Dozens of people are feared to have died after a sleeper bus caught on fire on a motorway in India.
Passengers had to jump out of a moving bus after it was engulfed in flames on the Jaisalmer highway in the northwestern Rajasthan region.
The private coach was carrying 57 passengers when the incident unfolded this afternoon between Jaisalmer and Jodhpur.
At least 20 people are thought to have died after being trapped inside the burning vehicle.
Several other passengers suffered serious burns, with 15 people, including four women and two children, taken to hospitals.
Some suffered up to 70% burns, according to NDTV.
The driver pulled over on the side of the road, but the flames took over the vehicle within seconds.
The police have suggested the fire may have started due to a short circuit.
India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, said that the families of the deceased and those injured would be given compensation.
He said: ‘Distressed by the loss of lives due to a mishap in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. My thoughts are with the affected people and their families during this difficult time. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured.’
Jaisalmer district collector Pratap Singh said: ‘An air-conditioned sleeper bus from a private company was travelling from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur when this incident happened… The district administration has opened a helpline, and I request family members of the passengers to come forward and help identify the dead persons.’
The country’s chief minister Bhajanlal Sharma said in an X post: ‘The incident of a bus catching fire in Jaisalmer is extremely heart-wrenching. I express deep condolences to the people affected by this tragic accident. Instructions have been given to the concerned authorities to ensure proper treatment for the injured and to provide all possible assistance to those affected.’
Technology & Business Editor
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