Bengaluru, Dec. 25 -- Forty-two schoolchildren narrowly escaped death in the early hours of Thursday when their bus was caught in a deadly highway collision followed by a massive fire on National Highway 48 near Hiriyur in Chitradurga district, saved by the split-second judgement of their driver.
The accident occurred around 2.05 a.m. when a container truck crossed the median and rammed into a private sleeper coach bus, triggering a blaze that engulfed the vehicles and claimed around 11 lives.
The school bus, travelling just behind the sleeper coach, was also caught in the impact as the collision unfolded within seconds.
The school bus was being driven by Sachin, a native of Holenarasipur in Hassan district, who was transporting 42 stude...