A tragic incident unfolded on Tuesday when a moving AC sleeper bus caught fire on the Jaisalmer-Jodhpur Highway near Thaiyat village in Rajasthan, killing 20 people. The fire broke out at approximately 3:30 p.m., rapidly engulfing the entire vehicle and leaving passengers with little time to react. Eyewitnesses described harrowing scenes of people leaping from the moving bus in a desperate attempt to escape the flames.
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जैसलमेर से जोधपुर आ रही बस में आग लगने से 20 लोगों की मृत्यु हृदय विदारक है। इस हादसे की सूचना से मन विचलित है।
मैं ईश्वर से दिवंगत आत्माओं को अपने श्रीचरणों में स्थान देने एवं घायलों को शीघ्र स्वस्थ करने की प्रार्थना करता हूं।
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) October 14, 2025
According to official reports, the bus was carrying 57 passengers. Sixteen individuals, including two children and four women, suffered severe burn injuries, many with burns covering up to 70 per cent of their bodies. They were immediately transported to Jawahar Hospital in Jaisalmer via three ambulances and were later referred to Jodhpur for more advanced treatment. Some of the injured are also receiving medical care at the military hospital.
Jaisalmer Collector Pratap Singh confirmed the intensity of the fire, stating that the bus had been completely reduced to ashes. “There are only dead bodies inside the bus now. Even after four hours, the vehicle remains too hot to recover the remains,” he said. A forensic team from Jodhpur has been dispatched to assist in the investigation and in identifying the deceased.
Municipal Council Assistant Fire Officer Krishnapal Singh Rathore noted that 10-12 fatalities are suspected, though eyewitnesses and fire officials fear the death toll could exceed 15. Preliminary assessments suggest a short circuit may have triggered the fire, although an official inquiry is currently underway.
Upon hearing of the incident, nearby villagers and passers-by rushed to the scene and began assisting with relief efforts.
The fire brigade and police responded promptly. Eight ambulances have since departed from Jaisalmer, with a green corridor created along National Highway 125 to ensure the swift transportation of the injured to Jodhpur.
Dr Vikas Rajpurohit, Superintendent of Mathura Das Mathur (MDM) Hospital in Jodhpur, stated, “We have received information about the accident. Preparations have been made at Mahatma Gandhi Hospital, and the trauma center has been evacuated. Medical staff is on standby to handle the emergency.”
Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar, who also serves as the minister in charge of Jaisalmer district, are expected to visit the accident site shortly.
The Chief Minister has taken a detailed report from the district administration and is due to arrive from Jaipur soon.
(With inputs from IANS)
