Four schoolchildren and a van driver narrowly escaped after their vehicle suddenly caught fire and turned into a fireball while in motion in Muzaffarnagar district on Friday morning, police said.
Muzaffarnagar additional superintendent of police (ASP) Amrit Jain said the incident took place around 8 am in the Purkazi area, when a private school van was picking up children from their homes. Police and eyewitnesses suspect the fire was caused by a short circuit.
Officials said the driver initially did not realise the vehicle had caught fire. However, when smoke began filling the van, the children started screaming, alerting him to the danger. Acting swiftly, the driver stopped the vehicle and quickly evacuated the children.
Local residents who noticed the commotion rushed to the spot and helped pull the children out of the van. Within moments, the flames spread rapidly, engulfing the vehicle and turning it into a fireball. Police said four children and the driver suffered burn injuries, but all were rescued in time, preventing a major tragedy.
ASP Jain said the injured have been identified as driver Amit (45), and four children— Avantika (5), Agyaans (4), Ayan (3), and Suryansh (4), all residents of Hussainpur, Purkazi. He said they were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for primary treatment and later referred to a private hospital in Uttarakhand for specialised care.
Doctors said all the injured are out of danger, though they have suffered burn injuries and remain under medical observation. The van was completely gutted in the blaze.
The ASP added that police will assess the vehicle’s fitness, adherence to school transport safety norms, and the condition of its electrical wiring to determine if any negligence was involved.
The school management expressed concern over the incident, stating it is in contact with the families of the injured children and is providing all possible assistance. Local administration officials said an inquiry has been initiated.
