A jammed door in the AC sleeper bus that caught fire near Jaisalmer was the primary reason behind the high number of casualties, police said on Wednesday. At least 21 people have died so far in the tragedy that took place on Tuesday. Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma personally reviewed the rescue and medical response, describing the incident as "deeply tragic."
Twenty passengers were burnt alive, and 15 others suffered severe burns after a private bus travelling to Jodhpur caught fire barely ten minutes after leaving Jaisalmer on Tuesday afternoon. Several bodies were found piled on top of one another inside the vehicle, which had been newly registered and was only on its fourth trip. The bus had departed Jaisalmer around 3 pm and was scheduled to pick up more passengers along the route.
People tried to flee but were stuck: Police
Kailash Dan, Additional SP of Jaisalmer, said the fire caused the bus door to jam, preventing passengers from escaping. “Most of the bodies were found in the aisle, which shows that people tried to flee but were trapped because the door was stuck,” he told PTI.
The bus caught fire near the Army War Memorial, and Army personnel quickly reached the site to assist in rescue operations. The door had to be pried open, while a few passengers managed to escape by breaking windows. Water from a passing tanker was used to control the flames.
Jaisalmer SP Abhishek Shivhare said that 19 charred bodies were recovered from the bus, while 16 critically injured passengers were taken to hospitals in Jodhpur. One person succumbed to injuries on the way. “The bodies have been sent to Jodhpur for DNA sampling and identification. They will be handed over to families after verification by the Forensic Science Laboratory,” he said.
Police officials said they are verifying the exact number of people inside the bus at the time of the incident. “Twenty people have died and 15 are receiving treatment. No one has been reported missing so far. CCTV footage from the bus departure point and along the route has been collected for examination,” the Additional SP added.
Short circuit led to fire
Forensic teams have been inspecting the site since Tuesday night. “Initial findings point to a short circuit as the cause of the fire, though other possibilities such as firecrackers being carried on board are also being investigated,” he said.
Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, upon receiving information about the tragedy on Tuesday evening, immediately ended a scheduled meeting in Jaipur and began coordinating with officials on the ground. During a high-level meeting attended by ministers Kirori Lal Meena, Gautam Dak, and senior bureaucrats, he announced that he would personally visit Jaisalmer due to the severity of the situation.
“The chief minister directed officials to establish a green corridor to ensure the swift transfer of the injured from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur for advanced medical treatment,” an official said.
Sharma reached Jaisalmer later that night and visited the site, acknowledging and commending the efforts of the Indian Army and local residents in the rescue and relief work. He then travelled to Jodhpur, where he met the families of the victims and instructed doctors to provide the best possible care to the injured. He also reviewed the availability of ventilators, ICU beds, oxygen support, and essential medicines in the burn unit. A dedicated medical monitoring team has been deployed in Jodhpur to ensure round-the-clock care for the injured.
“There was only one door on the bus, which got jammed. Most passengers could not get out. The Army recovered whatever bodies it could, but some were burnt to ashes beyond recognition,” said Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that the bus had no emergency exit, no window hammers, and a narrow aisle that trapped passengers. Once the wiring caught fire, the automatic door-lock system activated, sealing off their only escape route.
