A forensic investigation has confirmed that the tragic bus fire near Thaiyat village in Jaisalmer, which claimed 26 lives, was caused by a short circuit in the vehicle’s air-conditioning system, officials announced on Friday.
The devastating incident occurred on October 14, when a private bus heading to Jodhpur caught fire barely 10 minutes after departing from Jaisalmer. A joint report prepared by the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) teams from Jodhpur and Jaipur ruled out the presence of explosives or firecrackers, confirming that the blaze originated from the AC unit mounted on the roof of the bus.
According to investigators, the air-conditioning system’s wiring was directly connected to the engine, and a spark from the faulty wiring caused smoke to build up inside the vehicle. The carbon monoxide released led to suffocation among passengers. Officials stated that once a window broke, oxygen rushed in, causing the flames to intensify rapidly and engulf the upper section of the bus.
“The fire started from the AC wiring on the roof, not from the lower portion or fuel tank,” an official confirmed, noting that the tyres, fuel tank, and lower section of the bus remained largely undamaged.
Firecrackers found in the luggage compartment were later examined and found to be wet and unrelated to the cause of the fire.
Jaisalmer Superintendent of Police Abhishek Shivhare said that the investigation revealed gross negligence and violation of safety standards by the parties responsible for the bus. Authorities have since arrested the bus owner, driver, and the vehicle’s body manufacturer in connection with the incident.