Navi Mumbai school bus mishap: 3 students critical

Ronit Gore (14) and Neeraj Kurgale (8) admitted to the National Burns hospital in Navi Mumbai are undergoing treatment in the Intensive Care Unit, doctors said.

While Gore suffered 68 per cent burn injuries, Kurgale has sustained 65 per cent burns.

"Gore has suffered burn injuries all over his body and is kept on a ventilator and provided artificial oxygen as his lungs have been infected. Kurgale is also critical but he is not on ventilator," Dr Ganesh Pawar, Resident Medical Officer told PTI.

Riya Gupte (11), who suffered 60 per cent burns, is also critical and is presently admitted in the ICU of Masina hospital at Byculla in south Mumbai.

"Gupte's condition is still critical with burn injuries on her back, upper arms and legs. Another student, Puranik (10) who suffered injuries on his lower legs, is stable and will be shifted out of the ICU to a normal ward soon," Masina Hospital's In-charge, Dr Veena Sangare said. Puranik sustained 40 per cent burn injuries.

Twenty students from class first to eighth of CKT school in New Panvel were injured after their school bus caught fire on Thursday.

They were admitted to the National Burns Centre, Lifeline Hospital and MGM hospital in Navi Mumbai and at the Masina hospital in Byculla.

Two students, who suffered minor injuries, were discharged on Thursday after providing first aid treatment.

The condition of four other children at the National Burns Centre, who are also in the ICU, is stable as they suffered 18 to 50 per cent burns.

Besides, the condition of four girls, who were admitted to the MGM hospital with 20 to 25 per cent burn injuries, is also reported to be stable.

The police have arrested the bus driver Vishwanath Thadetare (24) and cleaner Anil Yadav (20) for negligence and would be produced before a Panvel court on Friday.

"The duo have been booked under various sections of Indian Penal Code and Motor Vehicle Act. We are awaiting reports from the forensic lab and the Regional Transport Office which will help us ascertain the cause of the fire," police inspector Ahmed Pathan of Panvel police station said.