Greater Noida: Nine people, including one woman and eight men, were killed after a double-decker passenger bus caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway while travelling from Noida to Mahoba, Jewar Police said.

More than 30 passengers were reportedly onboard the bus when the fire broke out. The blaze triggered panic inside the packed vehicle, with passengers struggling to escape through thick smoke.

A passenger who survived the incident told ANI that he was asleep when another passenger woke him up and alerted him that the bus had caught fire.

The passenger said everyone immediately scrambled to get out, but escaping was difficult because of the heavy smoke inside the bus. He said they somehow managed to make their way out in a state of panic.

The fire brigade and Jewar Police reached the spot, and rescue operations were underway.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the deaths in the bus fire.

In a post on X, Yogi Adityanath described the incident as heartbreaking and offered condolences to the families of those who died. He also prayed for the departed souls and wished a speedy recovery for those injured in the incident.

The incident has raised fresh concerns over the safety of passenger buses travelling on highways. Details on the cause of the fire were not immediately available in the information provided.