Schoolchildren have narrow escape as van catches fire

As many as 8 students of a local private school—Gurukul Sainik School—in Gurdaspur had a narrow escape after their school van suddenly caught fire at Bhukra village,

As many as 8 students of a local private school—Gurukul Sainik School—in Gurdaspur had a narrow escape after their school van suddenly caught fire at Bhukra village, 4 km from Gurdaspur this morning.

HT Image

Sources said that a short circuit had sparked off the fire. Students shouted for safety when they saw smoke rising from the gear box of the old van. The driver quickly stopped the van and pulled the students out to safety. The van, however, was burnt to ashes on the spot.

Meanwhile, the school principal—Bela Chauhan—visited the homes of students who were travelling in the said van, to enquire about their welfare.

The driver’s cellphone, which was left inside the van, too, was destroyed in the fire, as his prioritity was to first pull students out to safety.