Close shave for 39 children as bus catches fire,

As many as 39 children had a miraculous escape after the bus they were travelling caught fire on the outer ring road near Hosapete on Friday night.

The students of government primary school in Vajjal village of Ilkal taluk in Bagalkot district had come to Hampi on a tour by a minibus. A vehicle of Jindal company was coming behind the schoolchildren's bus. It's driver noticed fire in the rear portion of the bus, overtook it and stopped it. All the 39 children, four teachers and the driver rushed out of the bus to safety, by which time the fire spread to the entire vehicle, a police officer said. All the belongings of the children were gutted in the fire.

He said that the bus had an LPG cylinder also, which fortunately, did not catch fire. On getting information, the personnel of fire and emergency services rushed to the spot and doused the fire. Movement of vehicles on the road was halted for around 30 minutes.

The cause of fire is yet to be ascertained, the police officer said.

The driver of a bus of Jindal company, which was behind the school vehicle, noticed fire in the rear portion. He overtook the school bus.