Rajasthan:"...Broke bus window, jumped out...:" eyewitness on Bhankrota fire horror
Jaipur: Passengers of a bus, which caught fire in the massive blaze that broke out near a petrol pump at Bhankrota on Friday morning on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway after a chemical-laden truck collided with an LPG tanker and several other vehicles, have recounted horrific scenes from the tragedy that has left at least nine people dead and over 40 injured.
The bus was among the nearby vehicles that got caught in the fire that spread from the initial collision that took place at around 5:30 am today.
Speaking to ANI, an eyewitness recounted, "My friend and I were travelling from Rajsamand to Jaipur. Our bus suddenly stopped around 5.30 in the morning, and we heard a massive blast. There was fire everywhere around the bus. The door of the bus was locked, so we broke the window and jumped out. Along with us, around seven to eight more people jumped from the window. There were continuous blasts one after the other. There was a petrol pump nearby."
"When we woke up at 5.30 in the morning, we heard a blast. Those who were able to jump out of the bus survived, while those who couldn't were burned there. A whole lane of 100-200 metres was burned," another eyewitness told ANI.
Union Minister Bhagirath Chaudhary called termed it "a very tragic incident" and mentioned that Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma was present at the site. He further added that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has spoken to the Chief Minister.
Superintendent Sushil Kumar Bhati of Jaipur's Sawai Man Singh Hospital where the injured from the accident were rushed to said, "A blaze broke out in a CNG tanker near Bhankrota, causing several nearby buses and vehicles to catch fire."
"Currently, 42 injured people have been admitted here, and seven fatalities have been confirmed. Around 10 patients have severe burns of more than 60 per cent, with six patients on ventilators. The situation is under control, and treatment is underway."
