Delaware School Bus Catches Fire, No One Hurt
The bus driver notices smoke coming from the engine compartment while unloading students and evacuates them. No one is on the bus when it catches fire.
A Delaware bus driver noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment of the bus while unloading students and evacuated them. No one was on the bus when it caught fire. Photo courtesy Jack Kessel from the Dagsboro Volunteer Fire Co.
A Delaware bus driver noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment of the bus while unloading students and evacuated them. No one was on the bus when it caught fire. Photo courtesy Jack Kessel from the Dagsboro Volunteer Fire Co.
MILLVILLE, Del. — A school bus driver here evacuated students from their bus just before it caught fire at a stop on Tuesday, fire company officials said.
At about 2:57 p.m., the Millville Volunteer Fire Co. received an alert of a vehicle fire in the parking lot of a grocery store, according to the Millville Volunteer Fire Co.’s Facebook page. The bus driver had stopped the bus and was unloading Southern Delaware School of the Arts students when they noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment and had the students evacuate. No one was hurt in the incident.
Tony Petralia, the public information officer for the Millville Volunteer Fire Co., told School Bus Fleet that the students were evacuated in an orderly manner by the driver, and that all the students were off the bus by the time it caught fire.
More Safety
How to Build a Better School Bus Driver Training Program
Is it time to strengthen your driver training? Here’s how to pick the right talent and improve recruitment, retention, and safety. This video is brought to you by IC Bus.
Read More →
Recent School Bus Accidents Leave 2 Dead, 2 Injured
Four school bus crashes in Florida, Illinois, and Georgia highlight risks in transportation lots, at bus stops, and during student loading and unloading.
Read More →
When Every Second Matters, Clarity Keeps Routes Moving
From routine delays to urgent incidents, strong communication practices help drivers, dispatchers, schools, and families respond with confidence.
Read More →
What Happens When a School Bus Catches Fire — and What Can Help
School bus fires are rare but can be devastating. Learn how advances in fire suppression and asset protection help fleets detect fires earlier, reduce damage, and improve safety.
Read More →
Geotab Launches Tool to Help Fleets Investigate Road Incidents
Geotab Investigations combines telematics data, video, documents, and other evidence to help fleets reconstruct incidents, resolve claims, and determine what happened.
Read More →
Texas Sixth Grader Wins 2026 National School Bus Safety Poster Contest
Sai Darshana Yekolu of Moseley Middle School in Prosper, Texas, was named the newest winner for her artwork, bringing the theme of “Safe Rides, Everyday Heroes” to life.
Read More →
Doing More With Less: How Transportation Directors Can Prioritize Safety Amid Budget Uncertainty
With diesel prices soaring and nearly one-third of transportation directors expecting budget cuts, maintaining student safety has never been more challenging. Download this guide to learn how leading districts are prioritizing risk, funding critical safety technology, and building stronger budget cases with data.
Read More →
Walton County Schools Adds Gatekeeper Stop-Arm Enforcement System
The Florida district will deploy Gatekeeper’s updated Student Protector technology, which now incorporates AI to improve video evidence.
Read More →
How To Build a More Secure School Bus Yard During and After Hours
As thefts and overnight security threats continue, school transportation leaders are combining stronger operational practices with AI-enabled surveillance to better protect buses, facilities, and staff.
Read More →
FMCSA Names New Chief Safety Officer: What School Bus Operators Should Know
Steve Dowling is set to lead the federal agency's efforts to advance commercial motor vehicle safety and reduce crashes, fatalities, and injuries on the nation's roadways.
Read More →