Click to play videoMumbai: A Maruti van illegally fitted with an LPG cylinder went up in flames on Monday killing five children, no older than 9 years, the youngest was just six-years-old.
The accident took place at the Millat school in Mumbai's Jogeshwari area from where the van was to take the kindergarten students home.
Additional Commisioner of Police, Western Zone Mumbai, Archana Tyagi said, "First and fore most we trying our best that the children get the best medical treatment. And we have a team over there along with ACP Dilip Suryavanshi and whether its an LPG leak or something else, it's being investigated. "
The incident took place at 1:15 in the afternoon— when 12 children got into the Maruti van that was parked inside the school compound— and just when it was approaching the out gate, there was a fire, believed to be due to gas leakage, which killed three children instantly.
The other eight children were taken to the Cooper hospital nearby, but two have succumbed to the injuries.
At the Cooper hospital, grieving parents could not come to terms with the terrible tragedy.
Parent of one victim said "Pain of the parents who have lost their child can not be measured, although our children are fine, but one can not imagine the state of the parents who have lost their child."
Questions are now being asked to as to who is responsible for this avoidable accident. Though the van was a private vehicle hired by the parents, the school has decided to put stringent checks in place.
Principal, Millat School, Asif Qureshi said, " We are now strictly going to check all the documentation of all vehicles carrying students, and will only give approval to those vehicles which fulfill the school's criteria and the RTO norms."
But this has come a little too late for the parents of the victims, their loss can never be compensated. But perhaps it's about time for those parents who subscribe to such private pick up and drop facilities to take a step back and ensure the child's safety.
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