Barmer/Jaisalmer, Oct. 25 -- The forensic report into the deadly fire that broke out on October 14 in a sleeper bus on a stretch of the Jaisalmer-Joshpur highway in Jaisalmer district was made public on Friday, and attributes the tragedy to a short-circuit in the bus's air-conditioning unit. According to the report, the fire began on the roof of the bus and gradually spread throughout the cabin. The FSL team from Jaipur and Jodhpur, which inspected the site on October 15, found that the AC unit installed on the roof was connected directly to the engine. Sparks from this connection ignited the wiring, quickly filling the bus with smoke, said the report. As the carbon monoxide gas spread inside, many passengers began to suffocate and lost consciousness . When some passengers tried to break the windows to escape, outside air rushed in and intensified the flames, which engulfed the entire bus within seconds, said the report. Jaisalmer superintendent of police Abhishek Shivhare confirmed the report's findings and said they ruled out the presence of any flammable or explosive material inside the bus. "The report clearly indicates that the fire originated from the AC wiring and spread due to lack of proper safety measures. It was a preventable tragedy caused by negligence," he said. As per the report, the bus's underbody, tires, and fuel tank remained intact-confirming that the fire did not start from below. Firecrackers found in the luggage compartment were soaked in water and showed no signs of explosion, ruling them out as a cause, it added. Investigations also revealed multiple violations of safety standards. The AC wiring was directly connected to the engine, and the materials used in the bus body were not fire-resistant. Authorities also confirmed that the transport department's inspection team had previously visited the site to review the circumstances. The police have arrested the bus owner Turab Khan, the driver Shaukat Ali, and Manish Jain, the owner of the workshop that built the bus body, on charges of gross negligence and safety violations. The fire led to the loss of 26 lives in total, wherein 19 passengers were killed on the spot, and the remaining succumbed to their injuries during treatment. On October 16, chief minister Bhajanlal Sharma announced a financial assistance package for the victims- wherein families who lost three or more members were entitled to Rs.25 lakh as compensation, families who lost one or two members were entitled to Rs.10 lakh, per deceased person....