Chinese boy, 4, dies after falling from kindergarten bus
Inquiry launched after it was revealed the minibus the boy was travelling in had been illegally modified to put stools in the back, newspaper reports
Checks are to be carried out on all kindergarten buses in a town in northern China after a boy fell to his death from a nursery school minibus, according to a newspaper report.
The boy, aged four, died after falling from the vehicle in Ma Liu in Taiqian county in Henan province, the Dahe Daily reported.
The kindergarten minibus had been illegally modified to put 23 stools in the back for the children, according to the article.
The accident happened last Wednesday after the boy left the kindergarten and he fell from the van only metres away from his home.
His mother was reported as seeing something rolling on the road, but did not realise it was her son falling.
The family has received 350,000 yuan (US$51,000)in compensation from the kindergarten.
An official in charge at the nursery school was quoted as saying that the van was not an official school vehicle and the boy was the only passenger at the time of the accident.
A kindergarten teacher said the boy was sitting on the front seat, but opened the door when the van was still moving because he was excited to see his mother.
The van driver told police there were three children on board and he was unsure why the boy fell, the report said.
Classes at all 12 kindergartens in the town have been suspended while police check their transport arrangements.
