Angul: A major mishap was averted after a bus carrying more than 20 school children came in contact with an overhead low-lying supply wire at Amalapada seventh lane here Monday.
Sparks flew with a high decibel sound as the wire touched the roof of the bus. The students screamed for help and got down from the bus by asking the driver to stop the vehicle. The presence of mind displayed by students in saving themselves came in for praise from the residents.
The students from Delhi Public School at Nalco Nagar were on their way to school. The students later boarded another bus and left for school.
The bus was passing through Amalapada seventh lane to Hanuman Bazaar Square on National Highway-55 when the incident occurred. The driver chose to drive on the route despite being aware that the loosely hanging wire would touch the roof of the bus.
The incident sparked tension among locals and guardians as they rushed to the spot after hearing the screams of students. The residents blamed the loosely hanging wire for the incident which has been responsible for mishaps in most of the times.
They alleged that the wires have been drawn at such short heights that it would touch the head of a person walking on the road. The locals claimed they had lodged several complaints at the power distribution company Enzen Global Solutions but to no avail.
They staged a demonstration demanding the wires to be raised at a higher position. They relented after Enzen officials reached the spot and raised the height of wires. PNN