Greater Noida AC Sleeper Bus Fire Kills 9 on Yamuna Expressway, Driver and Conductor Flee

Yugcharan News / 24-09-2026

Nine people were killed after an air-conditioned sleeper bus caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida late Wednesday night, with police saying the blaze spread rapidly after a spark or blast in the vehicle’s air-conditioning system. The bus was carrying 35 passengers and was travelling from Noida to Mahoba when the incident occurred in Dayanatpur village in Jewar.

The fatal incident has prompted a police investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fire, including the suspected mechanical failure and the actions of the bus driver and conductor, who reportedly fled the spot before police arrived. Police said efforts were underway to trace and apprehend them.

Fire Breaks Out Around 11 PM

According to the Greater Noida police, the Bihar-registered sleeper bus was travelling towards Mahoba when the fire broke out at around 11 pm. The incident occurred on the Yamuna Expressway near Dayanatpur village in the Jewar area.

Police said the fire originated following a spark or blast in the bus’s air-conditioning system. The suspected incident involving the AC reportedly caused engine lubricating oil to catch fire, after which the flames spread rapidly through the vehicle.

The speed with which the fire engulfed the bus left passengers with very little time to escape. Of the 35 people travelling in the vehicle, nine died, including a woman.

Jewar Station House Officer Ajay Kumar Singh said some passengers had noticed a burning smell after the bus reached the Yamuna Expressway and asked the driver to stop. However, by the time the vehicle was stopped, the fire had already broken out and rapidly spread through the bus.

Passengers Struggled to Escape

The nature of a sleeper bus, where passengers may be resting or sleeping during an overnight journey, made the emergency particularly difficult to handle. Police said the fire spread quickly after it began, while passengers were required to escape amid heavy smoke and flames.

One passenger who survived the incident told news agency ANI that he had been sleeping when another person alerted him that the bus had caught fire. He said passengers immediately scrambled to get out of the vehicle but described the escape as extremely difficult because of the amount of smoke.

According to the passenger, the bus was packed with people, adding to the difficulty of getting out quickly once the fire spread.

The account provides an indication of the confusion inside the bus during the incident. While some passengers managed to escape, nine people could not get out in time and died in the fire.

Driver and Conductor Leave the Spot

The Greater Noida police said both the driver and conductor managed to flee the scene. Police teams reached the location after the fire, but the two were reportedly no longer present.

Jewar SHO Ajay Kumar Singh said efforts were underway to apprehend them. Police also indicated that a case would be registered and that a detailed investigation would be conducted into the incident.

The circumstances surrounding the driver and conductor’s departure are expected to form part of the investigation. The police will also examine the condition of the bus, the circumstances leading to the suspected AC-related incident and the sequence of events between the passengers first noticing the burning smell and the vehicle becoming engulfed in flames.

Police Probe to Examine Cause of Fire

The police statement currently points to a possible spark or blast in the air-conditioning system as the trigger. According to the police, this resulted in engine lubricating oil catching fire and allowed the flames to spread quickly.

A detailed investigation is expected to establish the precise cause and circumstances of the fire. The available police account does not establish whether any mechanical or maintenance-related issue contributed to the incident beyond the suspected AC-related spark or blast.

The investigation will also be important in determining the sequence of events inside the bus and whether all required safety measures were followed. At this stage, the police have stated that a case will be registered and a detailed probe initiated.

Yogi Adityanath Takes Cognizance

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognizance of the incident and expressed condolences to the families of those who died in the fire, according to officials.

The chief minister also spoke to the affected families and directed officials to provide possible assistance. He further instructed officials to ensure proper medical treatment for those who were injured in the incident.

The directions came as authorities dealt with the aftermath of the deadly fire and the rescue of passengers from the bus.

Nine Lives Lost in Overnight Journey

The Greater Noida bus fire has resulted in the deaths of nine passengers from a vehicle carrying 35 people on a journey between Noida and Mahoba. The incident took place on the Yamuna Expressway in the Jewar area late Wednesday night.

The police have attributed the rapid spread of the flames to an incident involving the bus’s air-conditioning system and engine lubricating oil. At the same time, investigators are expected to establish the complete sequence of events through the formal probe.

For the families of the nine victims, the incident has turned what was expected to be an overnight journey into a tragedy. Authorities are now tasked with completing the investigation, tracing the driver and conductor who left the scene, determining the exact circumstances of the fire and providing assistance and medical care to those affected.

The police investigation will determine the facts surrounding the incident and establish responsibility, if any, based on the evidence collected during the probe.