Jaisalmer: Seventeen children had a narrow escape on Tuesday after the school bus they were travelling in caught fire near Dhauwa village in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the incident.
According to police, the bus driver acted swiftly after noticing smoke and immediately stopped the vehicle. He evacuated all the children safely before the flames rapidly engulfed the bus, reducing it to ashes.
The children were travelling from Pithla village to a private school located around 12 km away. Bags, books and other belongings kept inside the bus were destroyed in the fire.
Short Circuit Suspected
Police said the incident occurred when the bus reached near Dhauwa village. The vehicle’s front wheel reportedly hit a pothole, following which a short circuit was suspected in the bus’s wiring.
Smoke began emerging from the engine before the vehicle caught fire. Local residents rushed to the spot and assisted in moving the children away from the burning bus.
Three fire tenders were subsequently deployed to bring the flames under control.
Local police officer Mahendra Kumar Sirvi said the prompt action by the driver helped ensure that all 17 children were evacuated before the fire spread through the vehicle.
Incident Raises Bus Safety Concerns
The latest incident comes amid renewed concerns over fire safety and emergency preparedness in passenger buses in the Jaisalmer region.
On October 14 last year, a private sleeper bus travelling from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur caught fire in a major tragedy. Nineteen passengers died at the spot, while another person died while being taken to Jodhpur. The death toll later climbed to 26 after other victims succumbed to their injuries during treatment.
Tuesday’s incident ended without casualties, but it has once again highlighted the importance of regular vehicle inspections, electrical safety checks and effective emergency preparedness in school and passenger buses.
