Tragedy strikes as bus catches fire near Lucknow, 5 burnt alive including children

Lucknow: In a devastating early morning incident, five people, including two children, were burnt alive when a private AC sleeper bus travelling from Bihar to Delhi caught fire near Mohanlalganj on the outskirts of Lucknow. The blaze broke out around 4:40 am on the Outer Ring Road while most of the 80 passengers were asleep.

The deceased include a mother and daughter, a teenage brother-sister duo, and a young man. Several others sustained injuries while attempting to escape. Survivors claim the driver and conductor abandoned the bus without alerting anyone.

“I woke up to thick smoke and people screaming. The emergency exit wouldn’t open. I smashed a window with my elbow and jumped out,” said Ramesh Tiwari, a passenger from Samastipur, who managed to escape with his younger brother.

Another survivor, Anita Verma, said, “The curtains caught fire quickly and it spread like dry grass. Those sitting in the back were trapped. Some were trying to save their bags but got stuck.”

The fire is suspected to have started due to a short circuit in the engine area. Survivors reported sparks under the floor just moments before flames erupted. The bus (UP17 AT 6372) had departed from Begusarai on Wednesday afternoon and picked up more passengers in Gorakhpur before reaching Lucknow early Thursday.

Fire tenders arrived after locals raised an alarm, but by then the vehicle was fully ablaze. It took 30 minutes to bring the fire under control. Inside, five charred bodies were found—two on the seats and three in the aisle. Identification was made through burnt jewellery.

The bus also had seven small LPG cylinders on board, which fortunately did not explode. Officials noted that luggage was stacked in the aisle, further obstructing escape.

Police have launched an investigation into possible safety violations. Survivors have demanded strict action against the driver and conductor, who are still absconding.