A passenger bus in northern India caught fire on Tuesday, killing at least 20 people, after a suspected short circuit, authorities said. The bus was carrying between 35 and 50 passengers when the fire broke out shortly after departing from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur in Rajasthan state.
Local lawmaker Mahant Pratap Puri said the fire spread rapidly, giving passengers no time to escape. Nineteen bodies were recovered from the bus, and one person died on the way to hospital. At least 15 passengers were critically injured and are receiving treatment.
The driver managed to stop the bus near a military station after smoke started emerging from the rear, but flames quickly engulfed the vehicle. Puri noted that the bus was new and fully loaded with air-conditioning gas, and had only one door, which trapped passengers at the rear.
Authorities are appealing for relatives to help identify the victims, and plan to use DNA evidence for identification. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rajasthan's chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma expressed condolences to the families.
