Child Dies in Bus Fire: Driver Ignored Warnings

A devastating fire on an intercity express bus in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain district resulted in the tragic death of a four-year-old child late Thursday night. The bus, traveling from Indore to Gwalior, was parked on the Agra-Mumbai National Highway when smoke billowed from the engine, rapidly engulfing the vehicle in flames.

Eyewitnesses and passengers reported that a smell of burning wires had been noticeable for a significant portion of the journey. Some passengers allegedly alerted the driver to the issue, but their concerns were reportedly dismissed. The bus driver had kept the engine running while passengers stopped for refreshments.

In the ensuing chaos, passengers desperately broke windows to escape the inferno. Tragically, a four-year-old child, Anya Jain, was caught in the stampede and could not be rescued. Her body was recovered hours later. The child's father lamented the lack of safety features, stating the bus had neither an emergency exit nor a fire extinguisher.

Five fire tenders eventually extinguished the blaze. The bus driver and cleaner fled the scene, and police are investigating the exact cause of the fire. The recovered jewelry from the burnt bus was handed over to the authorities by the child's father.