Industrial Transition Accelerator (ITA), launched in India ahead of COP30 to help industries adopt green technologies and cut emissions, Bartosz Przywara, Counsellor for Energy, Climate Action and Environment, European Union delegation to India told ANI today.Industrial Transition Accelerator (ITA)
'People Were Burning, But We Couldn’t…': Locals Recall Rajasthan Bus Blaze
‘People Were Burning Inside, But We Couldn’t Reach Them’: Eyewitnesses Recall Children, Elders Trapped In Jaisalmer-Jodhpur Bus Blaze
Jaipur (Rajasthan): A deadly fire engulfed a moving AC sleeper bus on the Jaisalmer-Jodhpur highway on Tuesday afternoon, trapping passengers inside when the door automatically locked. Smoke and flames spread quickly, forcing many to break windows to escape. Rescue efforts were delayed for nearly 50 minutes until the Army arrived with a JCB to break the gate and evacuate survivors.
Kastur Singh, a local liquor shop owner from Thiyat village and one of the first at the scene, described the horror. “I saw 16 people being pulled out of the bus, while others inside had already died. The victims ranged from an eight-year-old child to a 79-year-old,” he said.
The incident occurred around 3:30 pm on Tuesday when the bus, carrying 57 passengers, caught fire. Flames spread rapidly, prompting passengers to jump from the moving bus. Tragically, 20 people died in the blaze.
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The injured were initially taken to Jawahar Hospital in Jaisalmer before being referred to Mahatma Gandhi Hospital and Mathuradas Mathur Hospital in Jodhpur for further treatment.
Singh recalled the rescue attempts. “The fire was so intense that we could barely get close. A water tanker arrived, and we ran alongside it toward the bus, but we still could not save everyone.”
Once informed, the Army arrived with a JCB to break the locked gate, while efforts continued to douse the flames. Singh added that despite calling the fire brigade, no assistance arrived for 45 minutes as Jaisalmer is roughly 9 km from the site.
“Only 16 people were pulled out. Around 40 others were still inside when the bus burned,” Singh said.
Families of the victims remain in shock. Allahbaksh, whose relatives were on the bus, said, “We do not know how many people were on the bus or what exactly happened. We heard many burned alive. The bus was taken to the military camp, but we have not been told anything.”
Operated by KK Travels, the bus had been recently modified into an AC sleeper and had been in service on this route for five days. The fire reportedly began due to a short circuit in the AC unit. The bus was fully packed, with some passengers even resting in the upper gallery.
The bus's fiber body and curtains contributed to the rapid spread of fire. With fully glass windows and only one exit, passengers became trapped when the wiring caught fire and the door locked. The driver and conductor escaped first. Witnesses also noted the absence of fire safety equipment on the bus.
A 275-km green corridor was established to rush 16 severely burned passengers to Jodhpur. One elderly passenger died en route, while most survivours suffered burns covering up to 70% of their bodies.
A survivor recalled, “The driver drove the burning bus for 800 metres. Many mothers like me were crying, screaming for help.”
Military officers are coordinating with families to locate and assist them.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma visited Mahatma Gandhi Hospital around 11:15 PM. Medical teams and officials coordinated care, while injured passengers from private hospitals were shifted to ensure proper treatment.
The police cleared the highway for ambulances, and six ambulances were stationed at the hospital for emergency care.
According to eyewitnesses, ambulances brought victims in batches, including children and young adults.
Following theincident, FSL experts were dispatched to the accident site for investigation. Trauma and ICU wards at Jodhpur hospitals were cleared in preparation.
Officials believe the AC compressor, combined with diesel and gas, caused the rapid blaze. The bus had only one exit, trapping passengers in the sleeper section.
Forensic DNA tests are planned to identify charred bodies.
Source: ZeeNews
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Industrial Transition Accelerator (ITA), launched in India ahead of COP30 to help industries adopt green technologies and cut emissions, Bartosz Przywara, Counsellor for Energy, Climate Action and Environment, European Union delegation to India told ANI today.Industrial Transition Accelerator (ITA)
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