(MENAFN- IANS) Jaipur, Oct 14 (IANS) A horrific accident occurred on Tuesday when a moving AC sleeper bus caught fire on the Jaisalmer-Jodhpur Highway, near Thaiyat village in Rajasthan.

The incident took place around 3:30 p.m., with flames quickly engulfing the entire bus, leaving little time for passengers to react. Eyewitnesses described people jumping out of the moving vehicle in a desperate attempt to escape the blaze.

According to official reports, the bus was carrying 57 passengers. Sixteen people, including two children and four women, sustained severe burns-many with injuries covering up to 70 per cent of their bodies.

They were rushed to Jawahar Hospital in Jaisalmer in three ambulances and later referred to Jodhpur for advanced treatment. Some are also receiving care at the military hospital.

Jaisalmer Collector Pratap Singh confirmed that the fire was so intense that the bus was reduced to ashes.“There are only dead bodies inside the bus now.

Even after four hours, the vehicle remains too hot to recover the remains,” he stated. A forensic team from Jodhpur has been dispatched to assist with the investigation and body identification.

Municipal Council Assistant Fire Officer Krishnapal Singh Rathore said that 10–12 fatalities are suspected, but eyewitnesses and fire personnel fear the toll may exceed 15. The cause of the fire is believed to be a short circuit, though an official investigation is ongoing.

Upon receiving news of the incident, nearby villagers and passersby rushed to the scene and began relief efforts.

The fire department and police were alerted promptly. Eight ambulances have since departed Jaisalmer, creating a green corridor on National Highway 125 to ensure a swift transportation of the injured to Jodhpur.

Dr. Vikas Rajpurohit, Superintendent of Mathura Das Mathur (MDM) Hospital in Jodhpur, stated:“We have received information about the accident. Preparations have been made at Mahatma Gandhi Hospital, and the trauma centre has been evacuated. Medical staff is on standby to handle the emergency.”

Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar, who is also the minister in charge of the Jaisalmer district, will be visiting the accident site soon.

The CM has taken a detailed report from the district administration and is expected to arrive from Jaipur shortly.

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