School bus returning students from a field trip catches fire on I-5 in Sacramento
A field trip for Woodland Joint Unified School District students and staff took a turn Tuesday after a bus driving back to campus on Interstate 5 caught on fire, causing “heavy damage” to the vehicle, according to school and fire department officials.
No one was injured and everyone was safely evacuated from the bus, said Sacramento Fire Department spokesman Capt. Justin Sylvia.
A mechanical issue caused the engine to overheat and catch on fire, district Superintendent Elodia Ortega-Lampkin said in a statement.
The driver pulled over near Arena Boulevard in Sacramento’s Sports Complex neighborhood near Natomas once the bus driver noticed flames billowing from the rear compartment, Sylvia said. Firefighters were alerted of the call at just before 1:55 p.m.
“We are proud of the swift actions taken by our bus driver to ensure the safety of our students and staff during this unexpected incident,” Ortega-Lampkin said in the emailed statement.
Flames wrought “heavy damage” to the rear engine, Sylvia said. He added the intensity of the fire led crews to requested an additional engine’s help to put out flames.
