Short circuit in AC caused Jaisalmer bus fire that killed 26: Forensic report

He said that the duct in the bus, used for fanning cold air, started filling up with smoke which started spreading among passengers leading them to have difficulty in breathing. “Carbon monoxide spread through the bus and the people started feeling suffocated and couldn’t move quickly. This was exacerbated by the lack of an emergency exit or hammers to break windows, etc.,” as per the SP.

The SP said that when passengers broke the glass of the bus window in a bid to escape, the oxygen inflow worsened things as the fire then snowballed “and the entire bus burnt in 5-7 minutes”.

On the speculation that the fire may have been caused by firecrackers or explosives, he said “the FSL report conclusively proves that there was not even a trace of explosives, so the claims that the fire was spread due to explosive materials are baseless.” He said that unburnt firecrackers were found near the main door, apart from about 35 “potash guns”, which are used to scare off animals by farmers, in the rear storage area of the bus.

The incident took place on October 14 when the bus, on its way from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur, caught fire just about 10 kilometres outside of Jaisalmer. A total of 35 persons, including 26 who died, had sustained burns and injuries in the incident; their postmortem and DNA samples were also collected to confirm their identities.

The SP said that several irregularities – “with the aim of unethical gains” — were also found in the bus, including the presence of a seat at the emergency exit, lack of a fire extinguisher, lack of a hammer used to break windows in case of emergency, among other things.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Rajasthan government has since “arrested three persons, including the bus driver, the bus owner and the person who made the bus body,” the SP said.

Shivhare said investigation is proceeding as per the reports and details which are being received in the accident.

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