A school bus went up in flames in Saskatoon because of an electrical issue in the engine, the fire department says.
The First Student bus caught fire Tuesday afternoon on Macdermid Crescent, moments after the driver reacted to the smell of smoke and ushered the kids off the bus.
Flames spread in a matter of minutes, nine-year-old student Faith Walker said.
“They were like campfire flames, but way bigger,” Walker said. “It gave me a stomach ache. It was my first time experiencing fire, so I didn’t know what was going on.”
The bus was left charred on the street. All four kids on the bus were uninjured.
“When I pulled on to the block and the whole thing was up in flames, my first thought was like, ‘When did they got off the bus? Is everyone OK?’” Walker’s mother, Kristina Hughes, said.
“And then I thought, ‘Wow, what could have happened if that was on the freeway and not parked in front of my parents’ house?’”
The fire department said Wednesday the bus is a total loss, with damage estimated at about $80,000.
First Student has since launched an investigation, but a spokesperson said the company does not believe the problem extends to any other buses.
Each bus goes through a pre-trip inspection before hitting the road, according to the company.
--- based on a report by Angelina Irinici
