Parents of students at Manthan International School in Tellapur have demanded an independent investigation after a school bus caught fire while Class 1 students were boarding, raising questions about vehicle fitness, maintenance records and school transport safety.
The incident occurred on Tuesday when smoke began emerging from the bus as a few students were inside. The children were taken out safely, but the vehicle was subsequently engulfed in flames. The tyre of another bus parked nearby also exploded because of the impact, according to the report.
In an online complaint, parents asked the police, transport, education and fire-safety authorities to investigate the cause of the fire and verify the bus’s fitness and maintenance history. They also sought details of any inspection or corrective action taken before the incident.
Students had reportedly complained of an unusual smell from the bus’s air-conditioning vent several days before the fire. B Srinivas, a parent, said there had also been an issue involving a school bus in January, following which parents protested and the school assured them that a review would be conducted.
Another parent, Khushbu D, alleged on social media that this was the third such incident involving the school’s buses in the current academic year. Her claims have not been independently established in the report.
Surjeet Singh, principal of Manthan International School, said drivers informed the management after the smoke appeared and attempted to extinguish the flames. He said trained staff used fire extinguishers and described the bus as a new vehicle that was only three months old.
Singh said the matter had been handed over to the police to determine the cause of the fire. A forensic team has visited the site, and the school is waiting for its report. He added that the management had provided the authorities with the requested information.
