School bus catches fire, 39 children had a close escape

Hosapete: A school bus carrying 39 children caught fire on the outer ring road near Hosapete on Friday night. Luckily, none were injured and all the children escaped the fire in time.

The students of government primary school in Vajjal village of Ilkal taluk in Bagalkot district had come on a tour to Hampi. A vehicle of Jindal Company was coming behind the school children’s bus. The driver noticed a spark of fire in the rear portion of the school bus. He immediately over took the school bus and stopped the driver to inform about the fire. Before the fire spread to the entire bus, all the children, four teachers and the driver rushed out of the vehicle. But the baggage and belongings of the children were completely damaged in the fire.

The Hospete police immediately arrived at the spot. The police officer said that the bus contained a LPG cylinder which luckily did not catch fire. The Fire and emergency department immediately arrived at the spot and extinguished the fire.

The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. The traffic movement was stopped on the road for around one hour.