Greater Noida, September 24, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Passengers aboard the double-decker sleeper bus that caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida had reportedly detected a burning smell minutes before the blaze erupted, but the driver and conductor allegedly ignored their warnings and continued smoking inside the vehicle, according to the FIR.
Nine people, including a woman, were charred to death and several others suffered serious injuries after the bus was engulfed in flames.
According to the FIR, passengers had earlier objected to the driver and conductor smoking inside the bus. The two allegedly laughed off their objections and warned them against raising the issue further.
As the bus continued towards Mahoba, passengers reportedly noticed a strong burning odour and alerted the driver. The FIR states that the driver and conductor dismissed the concern, saying such a smell was common inside the vehicle.
Despite repeated requests to inspect the bus, the driver allegedly did not check the source of the smell and continued driving while he and the conductor smoked cigarettes.
Minutes later, passengers reportedly saw flames emerging from the front section of the bus. Panic spread as the fire rapidly intensified and thick smoke filled the vehicle.
The FIR further alleges that when passengers screamed for help and urged the driver to stop, he refused. It quotes him as saying, “I don’t care if you die, I won’t stop the bus.”
The Bihar-registered sleeper tourist bus was travelling from Delhi to Mahoba and was carrying more than 35 passengers when the incident occurred on the Yamuna Expressway.
Police and fire personnel rushed to the spot after receiving information. A rescue tender and fire tender stationed at the Jewar Toll Plaza responded initially, followed by four additional fire tenders and a fire service unit, which brought the blaze under control.
Preliminary investigation indicates that a spark or blast in the bus’s air-conditioning system may have ignited engine lubricating oil, causing the fire to spread rapidly.
The driver and conductor have been taken into custody and a case has been registered under relevant sections. Further legal proceedings are underway.
The exact circumstances leading to the fire and the deaths are being investigated.
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