School van catches fire in M’nagar; 4 kids, driver suffer burns

AGRA: Four children and a driver suffered burn injuries after a school van caught fire near Sammo village on the Harnagar-Jhabarpur road in Purkazi area of Muzaffarnagar district on Friday morning. The vehicle, belonging to Ashish English Academy, was transporting nursery and LKG students. Police said a short circuit coupled with a fuel leak likely caused the fire. However, timely intervention by locals helped evacuate the children, averting a major tragedy. The injured students and driver Amit Kumar (45) sustained minor burns on their hands and were taken to a nearby hospital where they were given first aid. DSP Ravi Shankar Mishra said investigation is underway and the vehicle has been seized. Regional transport office has lodged a complaint at Purkazi police station, following which a case was registered under BNS Section 281 (negligent driving) and Section 190 of the Motor Vehicles Act against the school management, the driver and the vehicle owner. Assistant regional transport officer Sunil Kumar Mishra told TOI, “The vehicle was registered in 2009 in Delhi and is in the name of an NGO. It is not fit for plying on the road.” Basic shiksha adhikari Sandeep Kumar said, “The BSA office is also investigating the incident. Action will be taken accordingly.” The incident comes amid repeated concerns over school vehicle safety. On March 1, a UKG student died in Kasganj after falling through a damaged bus floor, and on March 11, a nine-year-old girl died in Agra’s Etmadpur area after falling from a school bus and was run over.