At least 20 people have been killed and about 16 others seriously injured after a bus caught fire in northwestern India, according to local officials and media reports.
A short circuit is believed to have caused the fire which quickly engulfed the vehicle, which was moving on a major highway at the time.
What do we know about the bus fire?
The bus carrying around 50 passengers caught fire soon after it departed from Jaisalmer in Rajasthan state towards Jodhpur.
Eyewitnesses said smoke began rising from the rear of the vehicle, possibly due to an electrical short circuit, before flames rapidly engulfed it.
Although the driver managed to stop the bus on the roadside near a military station, police said 19 people died on the spot and another died in hospital.
Many victims were trapped inside as the bus had only one door for entry and exit.
“Passengers did not have time to get off the bus as the fire spread rapidly,” local ruling party lawmaker Mahant Pratap Puri told The Associated Press.
“It was a new bus filled with air conditioning gas. There was just one door for entry and exit. Unfortunately, the passengers sitting at the back could not get out and were burnt alive,” Puri said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief and announced a compensation of 200,000 rupees ($2,200) to the families of those killed and 50,000 rupees to the injured.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma also expressed condolences as authorities began DNA identification of the victims.
Edited by: Wesley Rahn