Team Herald
PANJIM: Panjim police have booked the owner of the private bus whose cabin caught fire on Friday for negligence.
According to the FIR registered at Panjim police station, Nishchai Parsekar, a resident of Salvador do Mundo allowed the bus to travel from Porvorim to Campal without any fire safety measures in place. “The bus was carrying students and teachers besides school staff without a bus conductor, fire extinguisher and first aid. It caught fire when it reached new Patto bridge endangering the lives of the passengers. As such a case of negligence has been registered against the bus owner,” PI Siddhant Shirodkar said.
The passengers had a narrow escape when the bus cabin caught a minor fire after a short circuit near the battery, with smoke engulfing the bus. Teacher Savia D’Souza, who helped students rush out of the bus, had subsequently fainted and was admitted to Goa Medical College and Hospital.
She was discharged soon thereafter.
The students were shifted to another bus from where they proceeded to their picnic spot at Children’s Park, Campal.
