UPDATE: Mechanical problem caused bus to catch fire in Shasta Lake

A mechanical issue caused a school bus to catch on fire Wednesday morning in the city of Shasta Lake.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire and the six students and the driver who were on board were able to get off before the fire started, Gateway Unified School District Executive Assistant Debby Boontjer said,

Boontjer said the driver sensed something was wrong with the bus before the fire started.

"Originally the bus had stopped, and she pulled over and realized something was wrong. So there was no real danger to the students because she acted so quickly to get them off," Boontjer said.

Boontjer said all the parents of the students who were on the bus were notified.

The bus was in the area of Main Street and Shasta Way just before 8 a.m. when the fire happened.

Shasta Lake Fire Chief Roger Moss said the diesel bus's engine malfunctioned causing "an electrical anomaly and over charged the electrical system which caused the fire."

Firefighters were concerned about the fire spreading to vegetation and homes in the area, but the flames were contained to the bus before the fire was contained.

David Benda covers business, development and anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly "Buzz on the Street" column. He’s part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, cover breaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on Twitter @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 1-530-338-8323. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Sheriff: School bus catches on fire in Shasta County; no injuries