Thiruvananthapuram: Fifteen children and a teacher had a miraculous escape when their school bus fell into a stream at Mamom near Attingal on
Wednesday. Four students and the teacher, who suffered minor injuries, were taken to Chirayinkeezh taluk hospital for treatment. The rest were given first aid at another hospital at Valiyakunnu. The driver also escaped unhurt.
The incident happened when the bus belonging to Saraswati Vidya Niketan, Valiyakunnu, was coming down a steep incline on the road connecting Mamom old bridge and Mamom temple. The driver lost control of the vehicle which fell into the stream 15 feet below the road around 3.30 p.m. The stream flowing to the Vamanapuram river did not have much water which averted a major tragedy.
The police said that there was no safety wall along the road which is not a regular bus route. The bus went that way owing to the maintenance works on the main road between Mamom and Korani.
Though there were 37 students and two teachers in the bus, the driver had asked the high school students and one teacher to get off the bus and walk through stretch. The accident happened after they got down.
Police found that the vehicle’s breaking system was not working properly. The police and fire and rescue services pulled out the bus from the stream.
