Brand New Bus, One Door And Modifications: The Making Of Rajasthan Inferno

The horrific bus fire tragedy in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer has put the spotlight on how not having an emergency exit in public transport vehicles can endanger lives.

Twenty-one people died and 16 others were injured when the private bus travelling to Jodhpur caught fire. Eyewitnesses have said that when the passengers tried to escape through the lone door, they found it jammed. An excavator had to be called in to break the door open. By the time help reached the passengers, many had died, and the others were critically injured. Some passengers who broke windows and jumped out survived the inferno.

While the cause of the fire is not yet known, officials suspect that a short circuit caused it. The bus, they said, had been modified and had a lot of inflammable material that contributed to the tragedy. According to witnesses, a loud blast took place, and the bus was engulfed in flames within minutes. A forensic test will confirm what led to the fire, the officials said.

At the time of the incident, the bus was near Thaiyat village, where a war museum commemorating the Battle of Longewala in the 1971 war is located. A total of 57 passengers, including women and children, were on the bus. Many of the victims' bodies are charred beyond recognition, and DNA testing would confirm their identities.

According to police, the bus caught fire around 3 pm, and local villagers and passersby were the first responders. Personnel from the 12th RAPID Division of the Indian Army, headquartered in Jaisalmer, rushed to help and brought an excavator and water tankers before police and firefighters reached.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma visited the spot and expressed grief over the incident. "The incident of a bus catching fire in Jaisalmer is extremely heart-wrenching. I express deep condolences to the people affected by this tragic accident. Instructions have been given to the concerned authorities to ensure proper treatment for the injured and to provide all possible assistance to those affected," he said in a post on X, adding that the state government stands with the victims' families.

Local MLA Pratap Puri said the bus had inflammable material and the exit was "very narrow". "It appears that a short circuit caused the fire and the gas leaking from the AC contributed to it. The bus was modified, so the exit passage was very narrow. The bus didn't have a second door," he said.

Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar said, "I have never seen such an incident in my life. DNA sampling for the identification of deceased passengers will be done."