Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India: At least 20 passengers lost their lives and 16 others sustained serious injuries when a private bus traveling from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur caught fire on Tuesday afternoon, officials confirmed.

The bus, carrying 57 passengers, had departed from Jaisalmer around 3 p.m. As it moved along the Jaisalmer–Jodhpur highway, smoke was seen coming from the rear section of the vehicle. The driver immediately stopped the bus on the roadside, but within minutes, it was engulfed in flames.

Local residents and travelers rushed to assist, followed by Army personnel who helped bring the situation under control. Firefighters and police teams arrived quickly, and the injured were taken to Jawahar Hospital in Jaisalmer for treatment.

जैसलमेर में भीषण हादसा: चलती AC बस बनी आग का गोला, 15 से ज़्यादा यात्रियों की ज़िंदा जलकर दर्दनाक मौत #JaisalmerBusFire #Jaisalmer #RajasthanNews pic.twitter.com/pp9xxxMsTl

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Authorities later transferred 16 passengers with severe burn injuries to a hospital in Jodhpur for advanced medical care. Early investigations suggest that an electrical short circuit might have caused the fire, according to police sources.

Pratap Puri, BJP MLA from Pokran, informed PTI that 20 passengers had lost their lives—19 inside the vehicle and one during transfer to Jodhpur. He mentioned that the fire started roughly ten minutes after the bus left Jaisalmer.

Following the incident, the district administration appealed to the public for help in identifying the victims. Officials said that the remains would be handed over to families after DNA verification.

Upon learning about the tragedy, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma reached Jaisalmer to review the situation and was briefed by senior officials. Relief and rescue operations began immediately after authorities received information about the fire. District Collector Pratap Singh instructed officials to ensure prompt medical attention for all injured individuals and released helpline numbers for public support.

Expressing condolences, Governor Haribhau Bagade, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, former CM Ashok Gehlot, and BJP state president Madan Rathore shared messages of sympathy.

Chief Minister Sharma posted on X (formerly Twitter):

“The bus fire incident in Jaisalmer is deeply saddening. My heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. Instructions have been given to ensure proper treatment for the injured and extend all possible support to the affected families.”

Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also expressed sorrow, describing the loss of 20 people as “a deeply unfortunate event.”