A school bus in Pittsburgh caught fire Wednesday afternoon, but luckily, no students were inside during the blaze. The incident, which unfolded just after 3 p.m., was first reported by the school bus driver when smoke began to fill the bus. Zone 5 officers and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire responded quickly, arriving to find the bus fully engulfed in flames.
According to the City of Pittsburgh public safety blotter, the driver could safely exit the vehicle before the situation escalated. The fire temporarily closed Sunrise Avenue, between Fairlawn Street and Remington Drive, as firefighters and investigation units addressed the problem. No injuries were reported due to the incident, demonstrating a moment of fortune in an otherwise hazardous scenario.
Investigators have determined that the cause of the fire was mechanical. The Fire Investigation Unit, which was called to the scene, is handling the case to understand the specifics of the mechanical failure that led to the fire.
While the incident caused some traffic disruptions, the road was promptly reopened after the fire was extinguished and authorities declared the area safe.
