5 Dead, Including 2 Children, in Bihar-Delhi Bus Fire in Lucknow
Five people, including two children, died after a Bihar-Delhi passenger bus caught fire in Lucknow’s Mohanlalganj area early Thursday, authorities confirmed.
The fire broke out around 5 AM on a private passenger bus traveling from Bihar to Delhi. The incident occurred near Kisan Path in Mohanlalganj, a suburb of Lucknow. According to eyewitnesses, the blaze spread rapidly, engulfing the entire bus in under 10 minutes.
Among the five deceased were two children, two women, and a man. The identities of the victims have not yet been released. Several other passengers sustained minor injuries while attempting to escape.
In a disturbing revelation, witnesses claimed that the bus driver escaped by breaking a window and fled the scene, leaving sleeping passengers trapped inside.
“Most of us were asleep when the bus filled with smoke. People started panicking and rushing to the door. The emergency exit didn’t work,” said Ram Sagar, a survivor of the incident.
Additional reports suggest that an unauthorized extra seat placed near the front door blocked access and hindered the evacuation, leading to more casualties.
Local residents who noticed the fire rushed to help and alerted emergency services. Fire department personnel arrived promptly and doused the flames within 30 minutes. By then, the vehicle had been reduced to a charred shell.
Officials from the Mohanlalganj police station confirmed the number of casualties and stated that a probe is underway.
Initial investigations by police have pointed to serious lapses in bus safety. The malfunctioning emergency exit and structural obstructions are believed to have contributed to the fatalities.
“Negligence on the part of the bus operator cannot be ruled out,” said a senior police official. “We are verifying the fitness and registration details of the vehicle and will take strict action.”
This is the latest in a series of road tragedies involving long-distance buses operating with questionable safety standards. With thousands traveling across states daily, experts have long called for stricter enforcement of fire safety and vehicle compliance norms.
