Disaster was averted in dramatic fashion near Rajgir in Nalanda, Bihar, when a school bus burst into flames with 50 innocent children aboard. The group from Lakhisarai’s Garua-Pursanda Middle School was returning from a sightseeing trip at the historic site.
Eyewitnesses reported that as the bus neared the second gate of the Ayudh Factory, ominous smoke and fiery sparks shot out from the engine compartment. Onlookers raised the alarm, alerting driver Heeralal, who reacted with lightning speed.
Heeralal parked the bus on the shoulder and orchestrated a flawless evacuation. One by one, the terrified students and staff were guided to safety as flames engulfed the vehicle. ‘I knew we had only seconds,’ Heeralal later recounted.
Assistance poured in from a local Surf factory, where owner Rahul Kumar and his team brought extinguishers and powder to combat the blaze. After intense efforts, the fire was controlled, preventing a potential catastrophe.
Traumatized but unharmed, the children boarded a replacement bus for the journey home. Police and fire officials suspect an electrical short circuit and have launched a detailed inquiry. This incident underscores the critical importance of vehicle maintenance for school transports, highlighting Heeralal’s extraordinary valor.