Manthan International School bus on fire; parents demand answers, action

Parents of Manthan International School in Tellapur, Hyderabad’s top western corridor in Sangareddy district, are reeling in shock, raising serious questions about the school’s transport safety standards after a bus caught fire on the school campus on Tuesday (September 8, 2026), just as it was time for students to board.

There were reportedly four students on the bus when the smoke started coming out and they were soon disembarked. No students were affected.

A video clip of the incident, captured by a parent, showing the school bus on fire and completely engulfed in flames, has been posted online.

According to parents who spoke to this reporter, videos of the incident were taken by several parents who went to pick up their children around 2:30 p.m. Children using the school bus facilities start boarding the buses from 14:30 and the buses start leaving at 15:00 depending on the route. As school staff fumbled for fire extinguishers and water, the bus caught fire.

“But the school sent us an email saying ‘transportation will be delayed’ until around 5pm. We came to know about it through the parent pick-up group and video clips,” parent Krishna Vamsi said, alleging the school was negligent about the children in its care.

Parents of students of Manthan International School, Tellapur staged a sit-in on the campus on Wednesday, seeking answers from the management on the bus fire incident | Photo credit: BY ARRANGEMENT

Issues flagged earlier

Parents said school buses have shown signs of repairs and sudden breakdowns in the past, and each time the children were fortunately rescued. One parent said he had complained to school authorities twice in the past three months when the bus’s air conditioning failed and students who had just finished playing sports and boarded the bus to return home had to get off due to suffocation. In another case, the vehicle’s sensors failed and the bus was stuck in the middle of the road.

Social media offers more evidence. In January 2026, locals on their way to rescue children broke the front windows of a Manthan International School school bus when the bus crashed.

“We are really scared. I pay almost ₹4,000 for my daughter, who is in Class 3. But when such incidents happen, the school’s response is not serious. I would be at work assuming my child would be safe at home, but when something as serious as a fire happens, the school doesn’t even feel or act,” said one of Ramakrishna’s parents.

Recently, children riding the bus days before the incident on Tuesday complained of an unusual smell coming from the air conditioning system, which was also reported by the bus conductor.

Several parents, who have protested similar incidents in the past, visited the school on Wednesday and demanded answers. However, the school management gave no assurance and reportedly said that the International Schools Partnership (iSP), the global community that governs the school, is expected to take a decision once the officials arrive here. iSP is regionally based in Bengaluru and has two schools in Hyderabad. The Mandal Educational Officer also visited the school on Wednesday and inquired about the incident.

Parents and bystanders watch in shock as a school bus is engulfed in flames amid high-rise buildings in Tellapur, home to Manthan International School, on Tuesday (September 8, 2026). | Acknowledgments for the video: BY AGREEMENT

Parents act

While the school offered little to no reassurance, aggrieved parents rallied to voice their concerns. Individual parents contributed to the collection of information.

The ill-fated bus with registration number TG 15 U 6985 is an SML Mahindra Hiroi with 63 seater configuration, parent found on Ministry of Road Transport and Highways Citizen Portal VAHAN.

The portal also registers a three-month-old vehicle as a non-AC variant, but in practice the vehicle operated an AC system, possibly retrofitted. The parents did not claim the fire was caused by the air conditioning system, but asked the Department of Transportation to verify that the system is authorized and approved for safe use.

The parents addressed a letter to District Collector Sangareddy; police inspector; Director of School Education and District Education Officer; District Transport Officer and District Fire Officer regarding developments and required action.

The letter also called for an investigation into previous fires and an inspection of the entire fleet, preservation of forensic evidence and an assessment of the safety of fire detection and alarm systems, including in classrooms and other areas.

This correspondent contacted the school principal and head – parent coordination and receiving the school version. Waiting for a reply.

Published – 09 Sep 2026 16:31 IST