Panic ensued among passengers when a sleeper bus travelling from Panipat to Bihar caught fire in Kannauj. All 50 passengers remained safe. The fire brigade brought the blaze under control in two hours and the bus was removed from the site.
Uttar Pradesh: Around 11 PM on Tuesday night, a sleeper bus en route from Panipat to Bihar suddenly caught fire on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway near Tirwa Kotwali area in Kannauj. The bus had just reached near the toll plaza when smoke began to rise from the engine. The smoke quickly spread throughout the bus, and flames erupted. Passengers who were sleeping awoke due to the choking smoke and cries of alarm broke out.
The bus driver immediately stopped the bus on the side of the road and instructed the passengers to exit. Passengers then jumped out of the windows and doors to save their lives. Bystanders present at the scene also helped and informed the police.
Fire Brigade Efforts and Cause
Upon receiving the information, police and fire brigade teams arrived at the scene. Fire trucks brought the fire under control after nearly two hours of strenuous effort. All passengers were transported to their destinations by another bus.
Preliminary investigation suggests a short circuit as the cause of the fire. The bus was removed from the expressway to clear the road. Currently, the driver and conductor are untraceable. Investigations are ongoing to determine which travel agency the bus belonged to.
Another Accident on the Expressway
Another accident occurred on the expressway in Kannauj on Wednesday morning. A car collided with a bus due to dense fog and subsequently caught fire. Despite the accident, both occupants of the car remained safe.
Police and the fire brigade arrived at the scene and brought the fire under control. The car was moved to the toll plaza with the help of a recovery crane. Car driver Dinesh and his companion Arvind were later sent to Lucknow by a roadways bus.
