Lucknow: A major accident was narrowly averted early Sunday morning when an AC bus traveling from Delhi to Gonda caught fire after a tire burst on the Agra Expressway in Lucknow.

Seventy passengers were on board at the time, all of whom escaped without injury.

Tire Burst Leads to Massive Fire

The incident occurred around 4:30 a.m. near the toll plaza in the Kakori police station area. According to reports, the bus was traveling at a speed of 80–90 km/h when a rear tire suddenly burst, producing a loud noise and causing the vehicle to sway.

The driver immediately applied the brakes and got down to inspect the problem. Soon after, smoke began billowing from the rear of the bus.

The driver and cleaner, panicking at the sight of the smoke, shouted for passengers to evacuate. Most passengers, who were asleep, quickly exited the vehicle, leaving behind their belongings as flames began to spread.

Within minutes, the entire bus was engulfed in fire, with smoke visible up to two kilometers away.

Firefighting Efforts and Investigation

Passengers and bystanders initially tried to extinguish the flames, but the fire continued to grow. According to eyewitnesses, the driver used two onboard fire extinguishers, but they proved ineffective.

He then rushed to the nearby toll plaza for help but found no fire safety equipment available.

The fire brigade reportedly arrived about an hour later with three fire engines. After considerable effort, the flames were brought under control; however, the bus was completely destroyed, leaving only its charred frame.

Inspector-in-charge Satish Rathore said preliminary investigations indicate a technical fault might have caused the fire.

The driver, however, claimed that a tire burst led to a short circuit, triggering the blaze. Police are continuing their investigation.

Passengers Credit Their Survival to ‘Chhathi Maiya’

Most passengers were returning home from Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab to celebrate the Chhath festival. While no one was injured, several passengers lost their luggage and valuables in the fire.

Terrified by the incident, many credited their survival to divine intervention, saying, “Chhathi Maiya saved us; otherwise, it would have been difficult for anyone to survive, given the magnitude of the accident.”

Police later arranged for another bus to transport the stranded passengers to Gonda.

Eyewitness Account

Eyewitness Satpal, who lives near the toll plaza, said most passengers had managed to escape before the fire intensified. “The driver tried using two extinguishers, but the flames didn’t stop. He ran to the toll plaza for help, but there was no fire safety equipment. The fire engine arrived nearly an hour late,” he said.

By the time the flames were extinguished, the bus had been reduced to ashes — a burnt shell standing as a grim reminder of the near-tragedy.