Cuttack/Bhubaneswar, July 17: Three children had a providential escape when a LPG-fuelled van carrying them to their school caught fire near Khapuria Industrial Estate in Cuttack today.

The children, who spotted the fire near the fuel tank, jumped out just in time but the school bag of one of them was gutted in the mishap. All three, aged between four and nine years, are students of Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 2 at Press Chhak in Cuttack.

The incident occurred around 7.30am when the van driver was about to restart the vehicle after dropping four other students at another school. “We complained to the driver about a petrol-like smell coming from the van. He saw a leakage and tried to fix it by covering the tank pipe with paper. Suddenly, the backseat caught fire. Scared, we jumped out of the van,” said Priyanka, a Class V student.

Later, some local people doused the flames by pouring water on the van. One of the kids, Bijayalaxmi, 9, said the private van ferried at least 15 school students everyday.

The incident has set alarm bells ringing with the Regional Transport Office (RTO), Bhubaneswar, deciding to crack down on vehicles using LPG cylinders as fuel in an unauthorised manner without obtaining the permits from them. They would also issue notices to schools tomorrow asking them to avoid engaging vehicles for ferrying schoolchildren with a carrying capacity of less than 13.

Official sources said about 150 LPG-fuelled private school vans were operating in Cuttack, most of them having switched over to the “duo model” that run both on petrol as well as LPG. Many of them are also illegally using LPG cylinder meant for domestic purposes. In Bhubaneswar, there are over 50 such vehicles to ferry schoolchildren.

Parents and guardians have expressed concerns over safety of their children who go to school in LPG-fuelled vehicles. They said hiring private vehicles was a compulsion as the school bus fees were stiff.

“A private vehicle operator charges Rs 500 to 700 per student every month for pick and drop facilities. But, the school bus fee is around Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200. However, after this incident, we have decided not to send our children in these vehicles. We will discuss transportation issues with the school authorities,” said Priyanka’s father Jyoti Ranjan Panda.

Principal of Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 2 Pitambar Das said the school did not have provision for buses since it had been operating for just about a year now.

“Luckily, none of the children were hurt but we would conduct a meeting with all parents and dissuade them from sending their children in LPG-operated vehicles. We will ask them to look for alternative modes of transportation,” he said.

Parents in Bhubaneswar alleged that some schools do not have their own buses, because of which they hire private cars and vans. “Kindergarten children are the most vulnerable as school authorities do not allow them to avail the school bus services,” said Sabita Mishra, a parent.

RTO authorities in Cuttack said they would investigate whether the van that caught fire today had a valid permit and an authorised kit for using LPG as fuel.

“Usually, vehicles are allowed to run on LPG only after adhering to some specified guidelines and installation of specified kits meant for the purpose. However, whether the concerned vehicle had followed the rules or not will be verified and necessary action will be taken in this regard,” said motor vehicles inspector, Cuttack region, Pradip Mohanty.

The LPG permit is given after the vehicle owner installs the professional kit to convert a petrol-driven vehicle to a LPG-fuelled one and is verified by the local motor vehicles inspector. The conversion could be done only at four authorised centres in the capital (see chart), said regional transport officer, Bhubaneswar, Lalmohan Sethy.

RTO authorities in Cuttack said several school cabs and other vehicles were being fined between Rs 1,000 and 5,000 under the Motor Vehicles Act for running on LPG without permits. However, Sethy said lack of space for keeping seized vehicles had affected the drive against illegal vehicles.

“However, we will conduct an enforcement drive tomorrow to ensure that only LPG vehicles with valid permits ply here,” Sethy said.