At least 20 people were killed and several others sustained grievous injuries after a moving bus caught fire in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district on Tuesday.
The sleeper coach, carrying 57 passengers from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur, was passing near the Army Station area when it suddenly caught fire. The flames quickly engulfed the entire vehicle, turning it into a moving inferno.
According to official reports, rescuers have so far recovered 19 bodies from the charred remains of the bus, while the death toll is feared to rise further.
Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, in a condolence message on his X handle, also put the casualty figure at 20.
The burnt bodies—most of them unrecognisable—have been kept at the Army Station. Officials said the remains will be handed over to the bereaved families after DNA testing and matching with samples provided by claimants. The final toll will be confirmed after this process, an official added.
A three-member team of Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) experts has been sent from Jaipur, while another team has arrived from Jodhpur to assist with identification and investigation.
The injured passengers were rushed to nearby hospitals, with at least 16 critically injured persons referred to Mahatma Gandhi Hospital in Jodhpur. Authorities created a Green Corridor between Jaisalmer and Jodhpur to ensure the speedy transfer of the injured.
The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Officials suspect a short circuit could have triggered the blaze, though some reports suggest that firecrackers might have been part of the bus’s cargo.
Police, fire brigade personnel, and other emergency agencies rushed to the site for rescue and relief operations. District Collector Pratap Singh supervised the rescue efforts, assisted by Army personnel. Jodhpur Divisional Commissioner Pratibha Singh also left for Jaisalmer to oversee the situation.
Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagade and Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma expressed deep shock over the tragedy. The Chief Minister directed officials to provide all possible assistance to the injured and later left for Jaisalmer to review the situation and meet the victims’ families.
CM Sharma also postponed his scheduled visit to Patna on Wednesday, where he was to campaign for the upcoming Assembly elections.