Jharkhand: 2 charred to death as bus catches fire in Ranchi

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Two persons were charred to death after a fire broke out in a bus in Jharkhand's Ranchi, police said on Tuesday. The incident happened around midnight in one of the state's busiest terminuses at Khadgarha in Lower Bazar police station area, they said.

Police said they are investigating the cause of the fire, but prima facie they suspect it to be caused by burning candles inside the bus.

The deceased were identified as Madan Mahto, 50, who was the driver of the bus, and Ibrahim, 25, the helper.

Mahto was a resident of Gumla district, while Ibrahim was a native of Chaibasa in West Singhbhum district, police said.

"The incident took place around midnight when the driver and the helper were sleeping in the bus. It seems that they lit candles on the dashboard of the bus for Diwali. It is suspected that they might have been under the influence of alcohol, due to which they could not sense the initial burning heat," Khadgarha's thana outpost in-charge Vikas Aryan told PTI.

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By the time the fire brigade was informed, the bus was gutted, he said.

The bodies were sent for post-mortem to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), he added.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren expressed grief over the incident.

"The death of the driver and the helper due to fire in the bus at Khadgarha bus stand in Ranchi is very painful. May God give peace to the departed souls and strength to the bereaved families to bear the difficult time of grief," he tweeted.

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