APOPKA, Fla. — A school bus here caught fire on Tuesday just minutes after the bus driver evacuated the students, News 6 reports.
The bus driver had pulled over because the bus was experiencing mechanical issues, according to the news source. Students left the bus and were either picked up by a parent or were transferred to another bus, just before the bus caught fire.
Doug Alexander, a parent of one of the students aboard the bus, told News 6 that he saw the bus driver running away from the bus minutes before it burst into flames. He added that the bus driver told him that the bus started smoking and that the smoke was coming from the air conditioner. Another parent, Sean Rogers, told the news source that he would like to thank the bus driver “for saving all those children’s lives.”
Detectives said it is still not clear what caused the fire, according to News 6.
To read the full story, go here.
School Bus Bursts into Flames Minutes After Students Exit
A Florida bus driver pulls over when her bus starts smoking. She evacuates the students, and minutes later, the bus catches fire.
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