ABOVE: Witnesses describe seeing flames engulf the school bus in just a matter of minutes.
Tragedy was averted in Cape Coral, Florida thanks to the quick thinking of a bus driver.
A school bus transporting 16 children to a private school Wednesday morning caught on fire after the bus driver noticed a strange smell.
According to the fire department, the bus driver immediately pulled over and evacuated the children, taking them to a safe area away from the bus.
Witnesses say the bus engine burst into flames shortly after, which spread to engulf the entire vehicle in just a few minutes.
Cape Coral Fire Department’s Acting Battalion Chief Mark Muerth credits the bus driver for her quick action.
“If she had hesitated or questioned whether or not she should have gotten the kids off the bus when she first smelled the odd odour, the outcome would have been very different,” he told News Press. “Her clear thinking and quick actions ensured everyone’s safety.”
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but officials believe a mechanical failure in the engine is to blame.
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