Full Breakdown
Greater Noida Bus Fire Claims Nine Lives, Triggers Arrests and Compensation
By Drooid · · How we work
Incident Overview
On the night of September 23, a Bihar-registered sleeper bus operated by Raj Kalpana Travels caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway near Dayanatpur village, Jewar, Greater Noida. The vehicle was travelling from Kashmere Gate, Delhi to Mahoba with 30-35 passengers. A burning smell was reported from the driver’s cabin around 11:30 p.m.; passengers urged the crew to stop, but the driver allegedly dismissed the warning. The fire spread rapidly, killing nine passengers while 20-25 others were rescued.
Timeline
- September 23 – Fire erupts; nine fatalities confirmed.
- September 24 – Prime Minister Narendra Modi announces ex-gratia of INR2 lakh per deceased family and INR50,000 per injured person from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announces identical compensation.
- October 26 (scheduled) – The bus’s permit was valid until this date, according to traffic officials.
Data & Statistics
Official Statements & Responses
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief and announced the ex-gratia package. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed officials to provide medical care for the injured and confirmed the same compensation amounts. Chief Fire Officer Pradeep Kumar said four fire tenders and rescue teams evacuated passengers and that the fire originated after a spark in the air-conditioning system ignited engine lubricating oil. Police officer Ajay Kumar Singh said the fire broke out after the driver stopped the vehicle, quickly engulfing the bus.
On-the-Ground Accounts
Survivors described dense smoke that made visibility impossible and a chaotic scramble to exit through windows. One passenger recalled being awakened by a shout to “get out quickly,” only to find the bus packed and people pushing each other. A 64-year-old woman said she was pushed aside and that her husband could not rise, sustaining a broken leg.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Police investigations attribute the blaze to a spark in the bus’s air-conditioning system that ignited engine oil. The drivers deny smoking allegations, asserting instead that an electrical short circuit caused the fire. No definitive forensic report confirming the exact ignition source has been released, leaving the precise cause unresolved.