A bus fire killed at least 20 passengers in India.

Dramatic footage shows the vehicle parked by the roadside engulfed in flames, with thick black smoke billowing into the air in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, on October 14.

Villagers stand nearby, watching as the blaze consumes the orange private bus.

In another clip, firefighters can be seen dousing water over the charred vehicle, where several passengers were burned alive inside.

Officials said the blaze was likely caused by a short-circuited air-conditioning unit, which triggered a gas leak leading to an explosion midway to Jodhpur in Rajasthan.

The private bus, carrying 57 passengers, departed from Jaisalmer at around 3 pm local time on Tuesday.

The driver reportedly stopped the vehicle after noticing smoke coming from the rear. Moments later, the stationary bus was engulfed in flames near Thaiyat village.

A witness said the fire spread within minutes, killing nearly half of the passengers, including three children who succumbed to the flames.

At least 15 travellers sustained critical injuries and were rushed to Jawahar Hospital in Jaisalmer before being transferred to Jodhpur for further treatment. One of them, Hussain Khan, 75, later died while receiving care.

Local media reported that the Army's Battle Axe Division was the first to respond to the scene, alongside police and nearby villagers.

Officers managed to extinguish the fire, but retrieval efforts were delayed for about four hours as the vehicle remained too hot to access.

The victims' bodies were later transported to Jodhpur for forensic analysis and DNA sampling. Authorities have identified Rajendra Singh Chauhan, Hasina, Irfan, Barkat Khan, Gopilal, Ayub Khan, and Nasira among the deceased.

Indian President Droupadi Murmu expressed condolences, saying: 'The news of the deaths of several people due to a fire in a bus in Jaisalmer is extremely heartbreaking. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.'