63 killed in bus fire: U.P(India)

At least 63 people were burnt to death on Tuesday when the bus they were travelling in caught fire in Uttar Pradesh's Firozabad district, the police said.

The accident occurred around 5 pm in Shikohabad area of Firozabad, about 300 km from Lucknow. The bus was going from Mathura to Sultanpur. The passengers were apparently returning after a pligrimage and all hailed from Sultanpur, an official said.

"According to initial information, witnesses said that the bus caught fire while it was running and overturned," city police chief Navneet Kumar said.

"Thirty-three passengers managed to escape and have received minor injuries. The exact number of those killed is yet to be ascertained," Kumar said.

The bus driver escaped unhurt, and has been held, an official said.

"The driver is being questioned about the cause of the accident. Witnesses noticed huge sparks from the rear side of the bus before it caught fire," he said.

"The axle of the bus must have broken, causing the sparks that reached the diesel tank due to which it caught fire," the official added.