Jaipur, Oct 15
The death toll in the massive fire in a sleeper bus near the War Museum on the Jaisalmer-Jodhpur route has increased to 21. Among the deceased is a 10-year-old boy who succumbed to his injuries this morning.
One of the seriously injured, 79-year-old Hussain Khan of Jaisalmer, died while being transported to Jodhpur. This morning, 10-year-old Yunus, a resident of Jodhpur who was receiving treatment at Mahatma Gandhi Hospital, also passed away, bringing the confirmed death toll to 21.
Eyewitnesses reported that the fire spread alarmingly fast—within just seven minutes of the suspected short circuit in the bus's battery. The resulting leak of AC gas is believed to have accelerated the blaze.
The tragedy has raised serious concerns over bus safety standards and emergency preparedness, particularly in vehicles fitted with high-capacity air conditioning systems and limited exit points.