Mock drill or fire accident?: Gujarat school ordered shut for covering up fire mishap

The authorities in Gujarat's Ahmedabad have ordered a private school to shut its campus and initiated an inquiry after parents alleged that the management tried to hide a fire on its premises by terming it as a "mock drill", said a report by PTI.

The school authorities have claimed the blaze that erupted on Thursday, July 11, was minor and doused in five minutes, but parents alleged that the management called it a "mock drill".

On learning about the protest by parents at Shanti Asiatic School in the Bopal area, District Education Officer (Rural) Krupa Jha reached the spot and ordered an inquiry into the allegations by parents.

"Prima facie, we found negligence on the school's part. We will conduct a detailed investigation into the incident and conduct a safety audit to ensure the building is safe for children. We will take strict action against those found guilty after the probe.,” Jha said.

He said the school premises will remain shut for students till the probe is on, and classes will be conducted online during this time, PTI added.

"State Education Minister Kuber Dindor is in touch with us and gave a message that all necessary steps will be taken," the official said.

On Friday morning, July 12, several parents rushed to the school and alleged that though there was a fire and resultant smoke on the premises on Thursday afternoon, July 11, the management claimed students were evacuated as part of a "mock drill".

"The CCTV footage clearly shows a fire in an air conditioning unit in a room in the basement, where students gather for activity. Our children were evacuated by teachers following smoke on the premises. However, when we inquired, the management told us that it was a mock drill and there was no such incident," a parent told PTI.

Meanwhile, school Director Abhay Ghosh claimed that the fire was minor one and was put out in five minutes.

"We are not hiding anything. Our trained staff immediately took control of the situation. It was not a major fire. The smoke was more than the actual fire. There was a miscommunication from someone that it was a mock drill. If parents feel we were hiding something, we are ready to apologise," Ghosh said.