Days after nine people were killed when a double-decker AC bus caught fire on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida, police have found that the bus was also being used to transport commercial goods. Officials are now investigating whether the additional load led to overloading and contributed to the fire.
Police are trying to determine the quantity and weight of the goods. Police are taking the help of technical experts to determine the cause of fire. However, the bus was completely gutted, making it difficult to establish the exact cause. The fire broke out around 11pm. The driver and conductor were later arrested.
Gokul, who was travelling from Noida, Sector 159 to his hometown in Ladpura, Mahoba told HT that he was asleep when the fire broke out. The front portion continued to burn for around 15 minutes before the fire spread to the entire bus. nine were trapped inside and died While 26 passengers managed to escape.
“We found commercial items such as bundles of marriage cards, wires, iron rings and other materials in the luggage compartment and on the roof,” said Rajeev Singh Sisodia, assistant commissioner of police (ACP), Greater Noida. “Since most of the material was destroyed, estimating the total weight is difficult,” the ACP said.
He alleged that more lives could have been saved if the emergency exits had been opened and passengers alerted earlier.
Officials are also examining whether the additional load put extra pressure on the engine and other components and contributed to an electrical fault.
“Our investigation is underway and we will examine this aspect as well,” the ACP said.
