11-Year-Old Dies After Tree Falls on School Bus in Mumbai Chembur

Peepal Tree Crashes onto School Bus

The accident took place around 3 pm near Heritage Pride, when a Make Force school bus carrying 13 students was struck by a fallen tree. A bus attendant helped all the children escape, and locals helped them as well.

Rescuers from the Mumbai Fire Brigade, police, ward staff of BMC and an ambulance attended.

Victims Rushed to Zen Hospital

The injured were transported to Zen Hospital. According to BMC officials, four students are being treated for minor injuries and are stable while one student, Vihaan Srivastava (10), is receiving treatment for severe injuries. The 11-year-old, who was the eldest among the injured, was dead on arrival at the hospital. He sustained head, abdominal and bone fractures.

The other four children, ages 5 to 10, are uninjured and have no life-threatening injuries. Two had CT scans of their abdomen and spine; one is set for a hand procedure.

BMC Expresses Grief over Tragedy

The Chairperson of the BMC Education Committee, Rajeshri Rajesh Shirwadkar, offered condolences to the deceased child's family. 

Shirwadkar said, “No parent should ever have to endure the pain of losing their child in such a tragic manner. The tragic death of an innocent child after a tree fell on a school bus on Road No. 11, Chembur, is deeply heartbreaking. I pray to God for the speedy recovery of the 12 students who were injured in this unfortunate accident.”

Mayor Orders Tree Safety Audit

BMC Mayor Ritu Tawade labeled the incident "critical" and promised action if the area's tree complaints were overlooked.

“I will speak to administration and ensure that when the land proposals are passed the survey of trees near the protection wall is done, and the survey and audit of old trees is also carried out,” said Tawade.

Second Tree-Fall Incident This Month

The BMC stated that the tree was routinely inspected and pruned, and a full inquiry will ascertain the cause of the collapse. 

This is the second tree-fall accident in Mumbai this month, which has again raised concerns over safety of aging trees despite BMC maintenance efforts. In March, a nearly 50-year-old tree fell on the Elevated Nature Trail in Malabar Hill.