A quick action by the management of New Horizon Public School (NHPS) of Airoli helped avoid any untoward incident in the school after a minor short circuit was reported in the meter room. Following the incident, smoke and power outage was reported across the building.

The fire official from Airoli told that it was a fire call of 9.50 am but by the time they had reached the spot, the staff had controlled it by switching off the meter on time and dousing the fire and sparks. “The school authorities informed us that there was only a minor fire which was immediately contained by them by the extinguisher they had. They informed us that the incident happened due to a crow who came in contact with some of the cables,” said fire safety officer (FSO)  Upendra Bhoir from Airoli fire station of Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC).

Tension and panic prevailed in the school and also to parents who saw a video being circulated in the social media that showed kids running out of the school while smoke emerged. The video was of the school management timely evacuating close to 1000 students of the morning batch to the playground of the school.

Some of the students witnessed sparks from the fan and lights of the classroom. They also heard a blast like sound. “The teachers had calmed us down and assured that there was nothing to worry as we waiting in the ground while some officials from the fire department and electricity department were inspecting the meter room and other rooms in the school. After the inspection, we were allowed to go inside our respective classrooms and then everything was normal except that there was no electricity,” one of the students recollected. The call and text sent to the Principal of the School by FPJ remained unanswered.

Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) informed that the school had their own independent power distribution transformer to which the company provides electricity and the school would be finding the cause of short circuit through a private agency.

Following the incident, the school issued a notification confirming to the parents that the blast in the transformer was outside the school premises and the students and the students were evacuated to safety and were allowed inside the school only after fire and MSEDCL officials inspected the site and gave a clearance. The notification also urged the parents to not spread any false information.