Narrow escape for kids as van catches fire

VADODARA: At least six schoolchildren had a narrow escape when the Maruti van carrying them caught fire on the Polytechnic College Road near Shastri Bridge on Wednesday afternoon.
While passing from the area around 1 pm, driver Mahesh Zalam noticed some problem in the van and saw smoke emanating from it. He immediately asked the students to get down and take an auto rickshaw to go home.
All the students were from Atharva School in Chhani and studying in secondary section, police said.
When he started checking for the problem, flames enveloped the vehicle and charred most part of it.
"I saw the vehicle go up in flames when I was passing from there. I saw some schoolchildren getting down from the car and taking auto rickshaw. The firemen were called in to douse the flame," said Dilip Nepali, BJP councillor, who was passing from the area.
Fire brigade officials said that the van was fitted with CNG kit.
"We are yet to find out the car's owner," said a fire brigade official.
Investigations are on to find out how the car caught fire.