Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 18 Dec: A major mishap was averted in Dehradun today when a private bus carrying students from Tamil Nadu caught fire near St Jude’s Chowk under the jurisdiction of Patel Nagar Kotwali police station. The fire triggered panic among the occupants but timely intervention by the police and the local residents ensured that there were no injuries to the bus passengers.
The incident occurred near the Shimla Bypass Road when smoke suddenly began rising from the moving bus, creating a life-threatening situation for the 40 students who were on an All-India tour. As the smoke rapidly filled the cabin, chaos ensued inside the vehicle, with students screaming for help.
Traffic police personnel on duty and local residents present at the spot immediately sprang into action, alerting the fire brigade and assisting in the evacuation. Fire department teams and traffic police rushed to the scene and worked to bring the blaze under control. The presence of mind and swift response of those at the site ensured that all the students were rescued safely in the nick of time.
Patel Nagar Kotwali in-charge Chandrabhan Adhikari said the bus was carrying around 40 students from Tamil Nadu who had departed from Haridwar earlier in the day and were heading to the Forest Research Institute in Dehradun. As the bus reached St Jude’s Chowk, smoke started emanating from the engine area and soon entered the passenger cabin, leading to panic among the students. Recognising the seriousness of the situation, the driver immediately pulled the bus to the side of the road, by which time traffic police personnel had already reached the location.
A rescue operation was immediately launched without delay, and all the 40 students were evacuated safely through the doors and windows of the bus one by one. The officials said it was fortunate that no one was injured in the incident. Preliminary investigations by the police indicate that the fire may have been caused by a short circuit in the bus, and a detailed probe into the matter is currently underway.
