A Broward County school bus, carrying a group of Seminole Middle School students, abruptly caught fire on a highway Friday night after a day trip to SeaWorld, officials confirmed. The bus was on its way back to Broward County from Orlando when the incident occurred, forcing a swift evacuation of all passengers.
According to a report from CBS News Miami, the fire took place near the Port St. Lucie/Fort Pierce rest stop on Florida's Turnpike around 8:30 p.m. Both the bus driver's quick response and the chaperones, including a School Resource Officer and an Assistant Principal, managed to escort the 47 students and four chaperones to safety before flames engulfed the bus.
No injuries were reported in the incident that included 42 kids and two adults evacuating the burning vehicle, noted in a statement by the Florida Highway Patrol. The reason for the blaze was not immediately known, leaving questions for the bus company, My South Bus Tours, to answer about the condition of the bus leading up to the fire. A replacement bus eventually transported students and chaperones back to the school.
As praised by Broward County Public Schools, in a statement obtained by NBC Miami, "We are proud of the quick responses to this situation by all those involved, as the safety of students and staff is always our priority." Throughout the ordeal, the school's principal maintained communication with the children's parents and guardians providing them with regular updates.
The entire mishap unfolded while the bus had followed its itinerary from SeaWorld, as indicated on Seminole Middle's website. Videos and texts from the students en route showed the burning bus, which became a stark backdrop to an otherwise predictable journey home. All children were reported safe during the incident, with the school expressing gratitude for parental support during the stressful time.
