Brave teacher hurls burning cylinder away from 52 kids

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Gurdaspur, April 28

A schoolteacher, Madan Mohan (40), saved the lives of more than 50 students today when he picked up a burning LPG cylinder in a room on the campus and threw it out into the courtyard.

The incident occurred around 10:30 am at Government Primary School, Nabipur, 3 km from here, on the Dera Baba Nanak road. Mohan, an ETT (elementary teacher training) teacher, suffered 60 per cent burns.

Three contractual workers — Santosh Rani, Kamaljit Kaur and Sunita — were preparing the mid-day meal when the rubber tubing which connects the cylinder outlet to the burner developed a crack and gas started leaking. Santosh Rani left the room to inform Mohan. By the time they returned, the clothes of Kamaljit and Sunita were on fire.

Witnesses said Madan Mohan, fearing that the cylinder could explode, threw it away and sounded the alarm, making all 52 children rushed out of the campus.

Deputy Commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal was informed, following which a fire tender was pressed into service. Mohan and the three workers were admitted to the Civil Hospital. Santosh and Kamaljit, whose condition deteriorated, were shifted to Amritsar.

District Education Officer (DEO, Primary) Palwinder Singh Samra rushed to the spot and arranged transport to rush the injured to the hospital.

An inquiry into the incident will be conducted by DEO (Secondary) AS Saini. The DC said Mohan’s name would be recommended for a bravery award.