Class 2 student burnt alive after fire breaks out in Madikeri residential school

MADIKERI: A 7-year-old Class 2 student of a residential school was burnt alive in Katageri village near Madikeri after a fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday. Over 50 students were rescued, but one student lost his life. The deceased was identified as Pushpak (7), hailing from Chettimani village.

The incident occurred at Harmandir Residential School in Katageri village, near Madikeri. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, and an investigation is under way. The school staff managed to rescue many students, but Pushpak could not be saved. The fire broke out in a dormitory around 4.30 am, emitting thick smoke, and quickly spread. There were about 53 students in the dormitory sleeping at that time.

Pushpak inhaled smoke and lost consciousness and was eventually burnt in the fire. Firefighters arrived on the scene and managed to put out the blaze. Pushpak was the son of Anil Kumar and Triveni, residents of Chettimani. Triveni said Pushpak had insisted on studying at the particular school in that town and they parents enrolled him along with his sister there for good education.

Triveni said, “He would talk every day about what happened in school. After the Dasara vacation, he had gone back to school enthusiastically. But now, he died in the school which he liked very much. We came to know about the incident only after they called us to the police station”, she said.

Deputy Commissioner Venkataraj said, “The fire broke out around 4.30 am and the preliminary investigation indicates an electrical short circuit and a 7-year-old boy lost his life. There are a total of 102 students in the school and 77 are in the hostel. On Wednesday, there were 53 students and all were evacuated. Two other children were injured and are in hospital, but are out of danger. We will check if the school authorities had all the requiste permissions”.

The boy excelled in games, studies, and sports. His parents were devastated by his death. The incident has sent shockwaves through the village, and the police have launched an investigation.