Lucknow, May 16 -- Five people, including two children, died after a Delhi-bound private sleeper bus with 80 passengers on board went up in flames on Thursday near Kisan Path, a major roadway on the outskirts of Lucknow, police officers said. They added that a preliminary probe suggests a short circuit led to the fire in the bus that was on its way to Delhi from Begusarai district of Bihar when the incident happened around 5am. Chief fire officer Mangesh Kumar said, "Within 10 minutes, fire engulfed the bus. Firefighters controlled the blaze in 30 minutes, but the vehicle had already been reduced to ashes by then." "All the passengers were from Bihar. When the fire broke out, the driver and conductor fled, leaving passengers trapped inside. Locals, along with fire and police teams, rescued the others by breaking the bus windows," said deputy commissioner of police (South) Nipun Agarwal, who reached the site with senior officers. Police identified the deceased as Lakkhi Devi (55), Soni Mahto (26), Devraj (3), Sakshi (2) and Madhusudan (21). According to eyewitnesses, most passengers were asleep when the fire started and panic erupted as smoke filled the bus. The driver and conductor allegedly escaped by breaking a window, leaving passengers behind. An extra seat installed near the driver's cabin blocked the main exit, making it difficult for people to escape, they said....