Nine Killed in Greater Noida Bus Fire, Driver Allegedly Ignored Warnings

Nine passengers were killed after a sleeper bus travelling from Delhi to Mahoba caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida late Wednesday night. The bus was carrying around 35 passengers when the incident occurred near Dayanatpur village in the Jewar area.

According to the FIR filed at Jewar police station, passengers noticed a burning smell coming from the driver’s cabin and reportedly warned the driver and conductor. However, they allegedly refused to stop the bus.

The complaint, filed by passenger Suneel Kumar, alleges that the driver dismissed the smell as something common and continued driving. It further claims that the driver and conductor were smoking bidis and cigarettes inside the cabin when flames suddenly appeared near the driver’s seat.

Passengers reportedly raised an alarm and again asked the driver to stop. According to the FIR, the driver and conductor allegedly told them, “If you want to die, then die; we won’t stop the bus.”

By the time the bus was stopped, the fire had reportedly spread rapidly and thick smoke had filled the vehicle. Several passengers managed to escape by jumping out, while others were trapped inside.

Nine people, including a woman, died in the blaze. Several others suffered burn injuries and were taken to Kailash Hospital in Jewar for treatment.

Police said the fire may have started after a spark or blast in the bus’s air-conditioning system caused engine lubricating oil to catch fire. The flames then spread quickly through the vehicle.

The driver and conductor reportedly fled the spot before police arrived. Authorities have launched an investigation and efforts are underway to trace and apprehend them.

The FIR alleges that the deaths were the result of “deliberate, gross negligence, rashness and reckless disregard” for passenger safety. These allegations will be examined as part of the ongoing investigation.

The incident has raised fresh concerns over passenger safety, emergency preparedness and safety compliance in long-distance sleeper buses operating on highways.