Bihar school van catches fire, 10 children on way home sustain burn injuries

PATNA: Ten children on their way home sustained burn injuries in Bihar’s Saran district on Friday when a CNG-powered school van burst into flames on National Highway 331, police said.
Police said the incident took place at about 1pm when the driver of the school van noticed smoke near the engine and stopped the car near Dhadhibadi village to inspect the issue. Soon, the flames reached the rear portion of the vehicle.
Police said the van driver and other passers-by pulled out the children from the burning vehicle after breaking the windows. A fire engine later doused the fire in the charred vehicle.
A police officer said the school would have to explain why so many children were transported in one van.
The cause of the fire is still unclear.
Sadar sub divisional officer Sanjay Kumar Rai said five children were referred to Sadar hospital where they were treated for burn injuries while the remaining five were undergoing treatment at the Baniyapur referral hospital. Their condition is out of danger.
Education minister Sunil Kumar said he spoke to the Saran district magistrate Aman Samir and asked him to provide medical treatment to the children and all possible help.