A van carrying schoolchildren veered off the road and caught fire after crashing near Lower Mohra Bada Hotar on Angoori Road, leaving 10 children injured with burns.
Rescue teams safely pulled the children from the burning vehicle and shifted them to hospitals for treatment.
The van was carrying students from Dar-e-Arqam and a government school when it lost control and plunged off the road. A fire suddenly erupted in the vehicle following the crash, prompting a rescue and firefighting operation.
According to the accident’s preliminary report obtained by Samaa TV, 11 people, including the driver, were on board the vehicle at the time of the accident.
According to the report, the van had a seating capacity of only eight people, meaning the number of occupants exceeded its designated capacity. The report also confirmed that all 11 occupants were injured in the fire.
The preliminary findings suggest that the fire was caused by a spark in the vehicle’s battery. The van did not have a fire extinguisher at the time of the incident.
Rescue teams bring fire under control
Rescue 1122 firefighting personnel reached the scene and brought the fire under control. Rescue workers safely extricated the children from the vehicle and provided them with first aid before transferring them to Civil Hospital Murree.
According to rescue officials, the children on board were students from Dar-e-Arqam and a government school. Police and rescue teams are conducting a joint operation in connection with the incident, according to Murree DPO Dr Raza Tanveer.
The DPO said children from two private schools were also travelling in the van.
Three children critically injured
The accident left 10 children affected by the school van fire, with three suffering severe burns and being shifted to the Burn Center at Holy Family Hospital in Rawalpindi.
Sources said eight-year-old Arham suffered burns to approximately 38% of his body, while Hassan sustained burns to around 26% of his body. In Rawalpindi, sources reported that Ayesha suffered burns to approximately 42% of her body.
The remaining seven children were provided medical assistance and transferred to Civil Hospital Murree for further treatment.
Murree DPO Dr Raza Tanveer Sipra said a school van carrying children met with an accident after its brakes failed. The vehicle subsequently caught fire, but the children were rescued immediately.
The injured children received all necessary medical treatment in Murree. Four children who suffered burns covering more than 25% of their bodies were referred to hospitals in Rawalpindi for further treatment. Thankfully, there was no loss of life, the DPO said.
Dr Raza Tanveer said a similar incident had occurred in Murree two months ago, following which traffic regulations were strictly enforced. He said the enforcement of these regulations would now be extended to local roads as well.
The DPO also directed that vehicle fitness inspections be carried out, including for vehicles operating in villages, to help prevent similar incidents in the future.
