Nine passengers were killed after a private sleeper bus caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway near Jewar in Greater Noida late Wednesday night. Several other passengers were rescued, while some sustained injuries in the incident.
The bus was travelling from Kashmere Gate in Delhi towards Mahoba in Uttar Pradesh when the fire broke out near the 33-kilometre point of the Yamuna Expressway at around 11.30 pm. Around 30 to 35 passengers were reportedly travelling in the bus at the time.
According to a complaint filed with the police, some passengers noticed a burning smell coming from the front portion of the vehicle and alerted the driver and conductor. The complaint alleges that the passengers asked them to stop the bus and inspect the problem, but the vehicle was not immediately stopped. Shortly afterwards, flames reportedly erupted near the driver’s area and spread rapidly through the bus.
Police and fire personnel reached the spot and found nine passengers dead inside the vehicle. Preliminary information indicates that the victims may have died from severe burns or suffocation. The exact cause of the fire is being investigated. A preliminary assessment has pointed towards a possible problem involving the bus’s air-conditioning system, although the final cause will be established after a detailed investigation.
The driver and conductor were taken into custody following the incident, and a case has been registered.
Investigations have also revealed that the bus had a history of traffic and regulatory violations. Government records show 19 challans amounting to approximately ₹1.75 lakh against the vehicle. The violations reportedly included issues related to permits, retrofitting and fuel-related rules.
One of the challans was issued in January 2026 after an underage driver was reportedly found operating the bus. Another challan issued in June 2025 was related to fuel and retrofitting violations.
The discovery of repeated violations has raised questions about the vehicle’s continued operation despite the outstanding penalties. Authorities are now examining the bus’s fitness, permit records, maintenance history and compliance with safety regulations as part of the investigation.
The tragic incident has also renewed concerns over passenger safety standards and enforcement of regulations governing private sleeper buses operating on long-distance routes.
