A school bus carrying 36 students and four teachers from Kerala caught fire near Devadanapatti in Tamil Nadu’s Theni district after its rear tyre burst, but all 40 passengers escaped without injuries, according to a report by Dinamalar. The bus was returning to Kerala after a school tour to Kodaikanal when the incident occurred.
The students, who were studying in Class 12 at a private school in Pathanamthitta district, had travelled to Kodaikanal with four teachers. The bus was being driven by 41-year-old Sevik from the Vadasery Paraihouse area of Thrissur, Kerala, the report said.
The incident took place near Pullakkapatti Vilakku on the Devadanapatti road. According to the report, the bus’s rear tyre burst while it was travelling along the road. The resulting friction between the wheel axle and the road surface produced sparks, which set the vehicle on fire.
As the fire spread, the driver stopped the bus on the roadside and helped the teachers and students leave the vehicle. The report said the bus was completely gutted in the fire. No deaths were reported.
Fire and rescue personnel from Periyakulam, Theni and Vathalagundu fought the blaze for about one and a half hours under the supervision of district fire officer Jagadeesan. The response involved fire services from multiple stations in the district, reflecting the scale of the vehicle fire and the need to control it along a busy inter-district road.
Dense black smoke from the burning bus reduced visibility in the area, prompting vehicles to move at lower speeds, according to Dinamalar. Devadanapatti police made arrangements to provide the students with the assistance and facilities they required after they were evacuated from the bus.
The incident highlights the immediate safety risks faced by school groups travelling on long-distance routes through hill and foothill areas, where a vehicle breakdown or tyre failure can quickly disrupt traffic and require coordinated emergency action. In this case, the passengers were evacuated before the fire caused any reported loss of life. The supplied report does not provide further details about the cause of the tyre failure, the bus’s inspection history or the next transport arrangements for the students and teachers.
