At least nine passengers, including a woman, lost their lives after a sleeper bus caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway near Jewar in Uttar Pradesh’s Gautam Buddh Nagar district late on Wednesday night. The bus, carrying around 35 to 40 passengers, was travelling from Delhi to Mahoba when the fire broke out at around 11:00 PM. Fire and emergency services rushed to the spot with multiple fire tenders, launching a rescue operation to evacuate passengers and bring the blaze under control. Authorities have arrested the bus driver and conductor, registering a case against them on charges of culpable homicide.

According to the preliminary investigation, the fire is suspected to have been caused by a short circuit in the bus’s air-conditioning system. Police said the flames spread rapidly, filling the sleeper coach with thick smoke and leaving many passengers trapped inside. Several survivors managed to escape in time, while those who were unable to get out succumbed to the fire. The bodies of the victims were shifted to a nearby hospital for post-mortem examination as officials began a detailed investigation into the incident.

Survivors described terrifying scenes as panic spread through the smoke-filled bus. One passenger said she woke up after hearing people banging on the bus door and fled without her belongings, while another recalled passengers struggling to breathe as they desperately searched for an exit. Witnesses said the overcrowded bus and dense smoke made escape extremely difficult for many. Police are now examining the condition of the vehicle, possible safety lapses, and whether negligence contributed to the tragedy, while authorities continue their investigation into one of the deadliest road transport incidents in the region this year.