Jabalpur: At least 30 persons were feared killed and 27 injured in a ghastly mishap when a private passenger bus caught fire after turning upside down when one of its tyres burst near village Pahadkheda, about 40 kms from Jabalpur this evening (November 20), official sources said.

A petrol can, kept behind the driver's seat, sparked off the fire, officials said adding, the toll could be ascertained only after the fire-brigade personnel remove the bodies in the charred bus.

About 15 injured have been admitted to Victoria and medical college hospitals in Jabalpur. Condition of two was stated to be critical, while 12 others were discharged after first aid, officials said.

The bus was on its way to Kundam from Jabalpur when the mishap occurred just one km away from Maneri industrial town of neighbouring Mandla district, sources said.

Top civil and police officials have rushed to site of the mishap to supervise the rescue and relief operations, sources added.

PTI