A tragic bus accident on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida claimed the lives of nine passengers. Reports indicate that the bus driver ignored warnings of a burning smell and allegedly told passengers, “If you want to die, then die,” before refusing to stop the vehicle. The incident has raised serious concerns about driver safety and accountability in public transport.
The bus driver and conductor managed to flee the spot, HT earlier reported. Nine passengers were killed after a bus travelling from Delhi to Mahoba in Uttar Pradesh caught fire late Wednesday night on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida. “By the time the driver stopped the vehicle, the fire broke out and quickly engulfed the vehicle. Nine people, including a woman, failed to escape,” he added.
The police said the fire on the bus bearing a Bihar registration broke out around 11 pm. The bus was plying with 35 passengers when the incident took place in Dayanatpur village in Jewar, on the Yamuna Expressway, according to the police. There were 35 passengers onboard. The FIR was registered at the Jewar police station on the complaint of Suneel Kumar, a resident of Hamirpur district, who said he boarded the Raj Kalpana Travels bus from Kashmere Gate in Delhi around 9 pm on Wednesday, PTI reported.
In a statement, the Greater Noida police said the fire erupted after a blast in the bus’ AC. “The fire broke out after a spark or blast in the bus’s AC caused the engine lubricating oil to catch fire, allowing the flames to spread rapidly,” it said. Police also said the driver and conductor had managed to escape by the time a team reached the spot. “Efforts are on to nab them,” the SHO said.
