A tourist bus carrying 45 school students from Palakkad caught fire near Devadanapatti in Tamil Nadu’s Theni district on Sunday morning after one of its rear tyres reportedly burst, but all 49 people on board escaped unharmed. The bus was carrying students and accompanying adults from KPSMM School in Varode village near Ottapalam.
The group comprised 45 students from the vocational higher secondary section, three teachers and one parent. They had left on Saturday for a two-day excursion to Kodaikanal. The incident occurred around 11am while the bus was travelling towards Munnar after the group had visited Kodaikanal, according to the report by Times of India.
Teachers accompanying the students said one of the rear tyres burst with a loud noise. The driver immediately pulled the vehicle over after smoke and sparks were noticed near the rear wheel. Teachers and bus staff then helped evacuate the students before the fire spread through the vehicle.
The flames rapidly engulfed the bus. Fire and rescue personnel from Periyakulam and Vathalakundu reached the location and brought the blaze under control in nearly 30 minutes. The vehicle was completely gutted in the incident.
Several belongings, including the students’ bags and clothes, were also destroyed. The fire caused panic among the students’ parents in Varode, where the group had begun its journey. No injuries were reported among the students, teachers, parent or bus staff.
Devadanapatti police have launched an investigation into the incident. The supplied report did not specify whether the bus underwent any inspection before the journey or identify the operator and vehicle registration details.
The incident also left the group temporarily stranded after the bus was destroyed. The travel agency arranged a replacement bus to bring the students back to Ottapalam. Local residents provided food and temporary accommodation to the students and accompanying adults, according to the teachers.
The evacuation was completed before the fire fully consumed the bus, preventing a potentially serious incident involving a large group of schoolchildren. The next steps will depend on the police investigation into the reported tyre burst and the circumstances that led to the fire.
