Jaipur: Two labourers died and six others suffered burn injuries after a bus carrying mostly labourers from Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh, caught fire after coming into contact with an 11kV overhead power line near a brick kiln in Todi village, Manoharpur, some 55km from Jaipur, on Tuesday morning. The two killed in the fire are Naseem, 50, and his daughter Sahinam, 20. The bus, carrying 65 passengers, came into contact with the live wire when the deceased were getting down from it, said additional SP Tejpal Singh. The bus was going to a brick kiln in Todi village and had taken a dirt road. Locals and some passengers had warned the driver of the potential hazard posed by power lines before he took the road, Singh said. Moments later, the bus hit the line, igniting a blaze. The bus was carrying motorcycles and household items of labourers such as LPG cylinders, which exploded shortly after the fire started, engulfing the entire vehicle in flames. Local resident Devendra Prajapat said the villagers rushed to the scene and rescued several passengers as explosions erupted inside the bus. Fire tenders were called to extinguish the flames. Deputy CM and transport minister Prem Chand Bairwa confirmed that the LPG cylinders had exploded during the incident.The six injured passengers are being treated at SMS Hospital’s burn ward, and identified as Nazma, 45, wife of the deceased Naseem; Sitara Bano, 45; Altaf, 19; Chanda, 40; Azhar, 10; and Naheem, 26. An official from Jaipur (Rural) police indicated that, prima facie, most victims appeared to be members of the same family.The bus is registered in Uttar Pradesh and its owner is also from UP, RTO officials said. It had entered Rajasthan for the first time. Officials suspect the luggage tied on the roof of the bus may have come into contact with the live wire. Other than motorcycles and LPG cylinders, the bus was carrying other goods, violating safety norms, they said. The vehicle’s registration certificate (RC) is likely to be scrapped.Police stated that an FIR will be registered against the bus owner and driver for flouting various safety rules. FSL teams have been called to examine whether the emergency exit doors were functional at the time.Jaipur collector Jitendra Soni ordered a detailed inquiry. Action will be taken against those responsible after the report is submitted.Meanwhile, Jaipur discom officials said the dirt track taken by the bus was not a proper road, and used mainly to go to fields and brick kilns.According to the Central Electricity Authority Regulations, 2023, the required height of 11kV lines in such areas is 15 feet, the line is approximately 17 feet high at the accident site. The power supply was automatically cut off after the circuit breaker on the feeder tripped, officials said.Pyare Lal Yadav and Joginder, residents of Todi village, said the fire began from the tyres, followed by two loud explosions when the cylinders burst. Eyewitnesses observed charred bikes and gas cylinders among the debris of the bus, along with other household items, which caused the fire to spread rapidly.Raja Khan, a resident of Pilibhit who was travelling on the bus, recounted, “The driver took the bus under the high-tension line despite being warned not to. As soon as the wire touched the vehicle, current ran through the bus. People panicked and jumped out of the window.”
