JAISALMER: Panic ensued on Tuesday morning in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer district when a school bus suddenly caught fire while en route. Over 20 schoolchildren were on board at the time of the incident.
According to reports, the sudden appearance of smoke and flames sparked screams and created a chaotic scene. However, the driver displayed alertness and presence of mind by immediately pulling the moving bus over to the roadside and evacuating all 20 children safely in time, thereby averting a major tragedy.
The incident occurred near Dhauwa village, within the jurisdiction of the Sadar Police Station.
According to Station House Officer (SHO) Mahendra Kumar Seervi, the school bus was transporting students from Pithala village to a private school located on Dabla Road, about 12 kilometres from the city. The bus hit a pothole on the road near Dhauwa village, causing a sudden, violent jolt. Moments later, smoke began to billow from the engine area, followed by visible flames.
Upon seeing the smoke and fire, the driver immediately stopped the bus. He quickly opened the doors and—before the fire could engulf the vehicle—evacuated all the children one by one, moving them to safety. Villagers nearby rushed to the scene upon learning of the incident and assisted in moving the children away from the bus.
Within a short time, the fire engulfed the entire bus, and it was completely gutted.
Authorities were notified, and fire tenders from the Municipal Council's fire department arrived at the scene to extinguish the blaze.
Fortunately, none of the children were injured in the incident. However, the children's school bags, books, and other belongings kept inside the bus were destroyed by the fire. Preliminary police investigations suggest that a short circuit in the wiring caused the fire.
Sadar SHO Mahendra Kumar Seervi confirmed that all the students are safe. Following the incident, the children were sent home with their families. Relatives and villagers breathed a sigh of relief upon the children's safe escape. The police are investigating the matter.
Several serious incidents of bus fires have been reported in Rajasthan recently, raising major questions about safety standards. Last month, a severe collision between a sleeper bus and a truck near Dausa on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway triggered a massive fire on the bus, resulting in the tragic deaths of eight people due to burns and injuries, while many other passengers were hurt.
Key causes behind these accidents include poor maintenance, a lack of timely mechanical and electrical inspections (fitness tests) for many private and school buses, short circuits in wiring, and the absence of safety equipment.
This incident has once again raised serious questions regarding the availability of fire-fighting equipment and the conduct of regular fitness checks for school vehicles. Experts believe that mandatory mechanical and electrical inspections of all school vehicles in the district must be carried out to prevent such accidents.