Published : 24 Sep 2026, 09:57 AM
Updated : 24 Sep 2026, 09:56 AM
At least nine people, including a woman, have been killed and several others injured after a sleeper tourist bus caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway in Uttar Pradesh's Greater Noida.
More than 34 passengers were reportedly travelling on the bus early Thursday when it caught fire while heading towards Mahoba in Uttar Pradesh via the expressway, the NDTV reports.
Most of the passengers were asleep at the time.
The exact cause of the fire has not yet been established. Preliminary reports suggest a short circuit may have triggered the blaze.
The fire quickly engulfed the bus, sending passengers into a panic.
Some managed to escape by jumping through the windows.
Firefighters and personnel from Jewar Police Station reached the scene after being alerted and began rescue and relief operations, said the Indian news outlet.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed condolences to the families of those killed and directed officials to ensure proper treatment for the injured.
He also ordered officials to provide all possible assistance to the victims' families.
A passenger who escaped described the chaos inside the bus.
"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," NDTV quoted her as saying.
"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 amidst the shoving."
The passenger said several people behind her may not have managed to escape.
"There were quite a few people behind me who probably couldn't make it out, as I myself got out quite late," she said.
Police and fire department teams remain at the scene as rescue and relief operations continue.
