Umarkote : An abandoned school bus was completely gutted in a fire near the boundary wall of Swami Vivekananda Government School in the DNK area of Umerkote in Nabarangpur district on Saturday night, raising concerns over public safety and suspected anti-social activities around the school premises.
According to preliminary reports, the fire broke out at around 10.30 pm, prompting local residents to alert the Odisha Fire and Emergency Services. A firefighting team from Umerkote rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control after a prolonged operation. However, the bus was reduced to ashes.
Local residents said the vehicle had been lying unused near the school premises for a long time. They alleged that the abandoned bus had become a gathering place for anti-social elements, who reportedly used to assemble inside it during the evening hours for drinking and smoking.
Although no casualties or injuries were reported, the incident has raised questions about the prolonged neglect of the vehicle and the potential risks it posed to the surrounding area.
The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. A short circuit or deliberate ignition by miscreants is suspected, though neither possibility has been conclusively established.
Umerkote police have initiated an investigation to determine the circumstances leading to the incident. Further investigation is underway.
