Jaisalmer bus inferno: 10 key points from the blaze that killed 20

Jaisalmer: At least 20 people lost their lives and several others were injured when a private bus travelling from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur caught fire near Thaiyat village on Tuesday afternoon. The blaze, which erupted around 3.30 pm.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma visited the site of the accident, where the bus was completely engulfed in flames, confirming the death toll.

Police Commissioner of Jodhpur, Om Prakash Paswan, said, "16 injured have been brought here from Jaisalmer. 15 injured are receiving treatment at the Mahatma Gandhi Hospital, and one injured is receiving treatment at Shri Ram Hospital."

Key facts about the accident:

• The bus, purchased just five days earlier, departed Jaisalmer at 3 pm and was approximately 20 km from the city when the fire broke out.
• The fire reportedly started at the rear of the bus, likely due to a short circuit. Despite the driver stopping the vehicle immediately, flames quickly consumed it.
• There were 57 passengers on board. In panic, several attempted to escape by jumping from the moving bus.
• Fifteen passengers, including four women and two children, sustained severe burns—some up to 70 per cent. They were first taken to Jawahar Hospital in Jaisalmer before being referred to Jodhpur for specialised care.
• Eyewitnesses described seeing thick smoke and flames rising into the sky, with local villagers and passersby helping with initial rescue efforts.
• Authorities in Jaisalmer and Jodhpur have released helpline numbers for families seeking information or assistance-
  • District Control Room, Jodhpur- 0291-2650349, 2650350
  • Mahatma Gandhi Hospital- 09414159222
  • State Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), Jodhpur- 9414919021
  • Trauma Centre, Jawahar Hospital, Jaisalmer- 9460106451, 9636908033
  • Jaisalmer Helpline Numbers- 9414801400, 8003101400, 02992 252201, 02992 255055
• The bus was completely destroyed, and many bodies were severely burnt, making identification difficult. DNA and forensic teams from Jodhpur have been deployed to identify the victims.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from the PMNRF for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured. President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President C P Radhakrishnan condoled the loss of lives in the incident.
• Chief Minister Sharma termed the incident “extremely heart-wrenching” and instructed authorities to provide full medical support and assistance to affected families.
• Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot urged a complaint to be filed to determine the cause of the fire, highlighting possible technical faults in the nearly new bus.

The injured were transported to Jodhpur under police escort with the support of eight ambulances along a green corridor created on National Highway 125.

Local villagers and passersby rushed to the spot upon learning about the incident and assisted in rescue operations until the fire department and police teams reached the scene.

(with inputs from ANI & PTI)