MENU
SEARCHThe fire appears to have been caused by a mechanical issue in the bus. No one is on board at the time.
The fire appeared to have been caused by a mechanical issue in the Middletown ( N.J.) Public Schools bus. No one was on board when it caught fire. Photo courtesy Middletown Township Fire Department
MIDDLETOWN, N.J. — A fire broke out on a school bus outside of a high school here on Thursday morning.
Officials from Middletown Township Fire Department reportedly responded to the fire at Middletown High School at around 7:15 a.m., according to a tweet from the Township of Middletown.
William O. George III, the superintendent for Middletown Public Schools, said in a statement that the school bus caught fire after it had arrived at the high school, and students were evacuated from the bus before the smoke progressed to a fire. George added in the statement that students inside the school were evacuated to the rear of the building for a short period of time while the fire was extinguished. No one was hurt.
Dennis Fowler, a spokesman for Middletown Township Fire Department, told Ashbury Park Press that firefighters had the fire under control by 7:40 a.m. and had cleared the scene by 9:40 a.m. George said in the statement that the school building's air quality was tested by a registered environmental health specialist and deemed safe for occupancy after the fire, and that the fire appears to have been caused by a mechanical issue in the bus.
The alternative transportation provider’s 2025 Safety Report highlights 99.7% incident-free rides, 130 million safe miles, and more.
Read More →
Searching for the right equipment, technology, or services for your school transportation program? This industry guide brings together manufacturers and suppliers across the entire school bus market, all in one place. Download it to find the partners who can help move your operation forward.
Read More →
Child Safety Network appointed psychology researcher Michael C. Hout, Ph.D., to lead a study examining why drivers illegally pass stopped school buses.
Read More →
Investigators reported a remote assistance error allowed a Waymo driverless vehicle to illegally pass a stopped school bus in Austin.
Read More →
See how a new 50-state roadmap outlines 69 strategies for districts, law enforcement, and policymakers to reduce the 39 million illegal school bus passings reported each year.
Read More →
Recently, an Iowa student died after falling under a school bus, while 14 Oklahoma students were injured days later when a semi-truck rear-ended their bus.
Read More →
Selecting a fleet technology partner can be complex, especially with evolving operational demands and limited resources. This white paper outlines seven key criteria to help school transportation leaders evaluate options and align technology with their needs. It offers a practical framework to support more informed decision-making.
Read More →
When school bus communication systems fail, the consequences extend far beyond equipment repairs. Downtime can increase safety risks, strain dispatch operations, and erode driver confidence. Explore how proactive radio lifecycle management and managed services are reducing disruptions, supporting driver retention, and delivering predictable budgeting for school transportation fleets.
Read More →
EverDriven has launched a new safety council aimed at standardizing and strengthening student transportation practices across all states it operates in.
Read More →
The OEM's three-week campaign during National School Bus Safety Week has awarded nearly $6,000 to Bryan County Schools to support increasing student safety around the bus.
Read More →
