3 kids among 20 charred to death after Jodhpur-boundbus catches fire, 15 critical

JAISALMER: Twenty-people, including three children, were killed and 15 critically injured Tuesday afternoon when a Jodhpur-bound private bus caught fire near Thaiyat village, about 10 km from Jaisalmer city. Nineteen burnt bodies were found inside the bus, which burst into flames outside Jaisalmer Army station. One more person died later in a Jodhpur hospital, where 16 of the injured were shifted after receiving first aid at Jawahar hospital in Jaisalmer.

The AC bus operated by Jodhpur-based KK Travels left Jaisalmer around 3pm. Witnesses said flames erupted from the front soon after it reached Thaiyat, engulfing the vehicle and trapping passengers.

Army’s Battle X Division, led by Major Gen Ashish Khurana, was first on the scene and spearheaded rescue operations with local police and villagers. Jaisalmer collector Pratap Singh said the vehicle’s body remained too hot to touch for nearly four hours, delaying removal of those trapped inside.