Chaos unfolded on Interstate 93 in Boston after a school bus carrying students from Josiah Quincy Upper School caught fire yesterday afternoon, leading to four being hospitalized and significant traffic disruptions. According to Boston 25 News, the incident occurred northbound near exit 14 in Dorchester around 3 pm, prompting the closure of all lanes as flames and smoke billowed into the sky.

Massachusetts State Police stated the lanes were subsequently reopened after the burned-out vehicle was towed. Despite the reopening, traffic backups continued well into the evening, affecting commuters as far past Braintree, as per CBS Boston. The students, identified by the Boston Public Schools as eighth graders, had been returning from a field trip at the time of the fire.

All students and staff were able to evacuate the bus in time. "All students and staff evacuated the bus before it caught fire," said a written letter from Richard Chang & Stephen Cirasuolo of Josiah Quincy Upper School, as reported by WCVB. Four individuals, including students, were taken to the hospital with issues related to smoke inhalation. In response, the school's administration organized a substitute bus to ferry all evacuees back to the school premises and assured that any student in need of support could speak with a member of their support system.

The bus, not part of the BPS yellow school bus fleet, was hired from a third-party service. Boston 25 News had reportedly reached out to the company, Tony’s Trans Inc., for comment but the cause of the blaze has yet to be determined. With investigations ongoing and the students' well-being at the forefront, the community looks for answers as to how such peril could abruptly invade a routine school day.