Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], September 24 (ANI): Nine people, including one woman and eight men, died after a passenger bus caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway late Wednesday night, Jewar Police said.
The bus was travelling from Delhi when it suddenly caught fire on the expressway under the Jewar police station area of Greater Noida. Passengers who managed to escape recounted harrowing scenes inside the packed bus.
While speaking to ANI, passengers recounted harrowing moments of chaos, suffocating smoke, and a stampede-like situation inside the packed bus, with most passengers asleep when the fire broke out.
"After I fell asleep, someone woke me up, saying the bus had caught fire, and we all scrambled to get out. It was not an easy situation to escape from; there was a lot of smoke. We somehow managed to get out in a state of panic. The bus was packed with passengers," a passenger said.
Another passenger said she woke up to banging on the door and a huge crowd.
"I was asleep when someone banged on the door. When I woke up, there was already a huge crowd. I didn't pick up any of my belongings; I didn't even put on my shoes. I just grabbed my phone and stepped out. It was so crowded that people were shoving each other. I was pushed around, and someone eventually pulled me out. I don't remember anything else after that," the passenger told ANI.
She described how thick, toxic smoke blinded commuters within seconds, leaving little time to evacuate.
"It was completely filled with smoke; the scene was chaotic, and getting out was extremely difficult. It was so smoky that nothing was visible; people were suffocating inside. Very few managed to escape, only those who could push their way out amidst the shoving. Many people lost their lives. There were quite a few people behind me who probably couldn't make it out, as I myself got out quite late," the passenger added.
Further details are awaited. (ANI)
Greater Noida: Nine dead as passenger bus catches fire on Yamuna Expressway
