ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUS CATCHES FIRE IN HUNTSVILLE THIS MORNING AFTER STUDENTS TRANSFERRED OFF; BATTERY NOT SUSPECTED CAUSE

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

HUNTSVILLE — A broken down electric school bus — which had just transferred students to a replacement bus a short time before — caught fire at 8:30 a.m. this morning and was totally destroyed.

All students were a safe distance away en route to their schools when flames were spotted, says the Huntsville/Lake of Bays Fire Department.

There were no injuries to any students or the driver of the Campbell Bus Lines. The bus was taking kids to four TLDSB schools: Spruce Glen Public School, Riverside Public School, Huntsville Public School and Huntsville High School. And one Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board school, St. Mary Catholic School.

HLBFD says no cause of the fire has been determined — and it is not believed that the large battery of the electric school bus was involved in the fire.

Students were safely away from the bus before flames were spotted by the driver who had broken down. Photo OPP

They say that on January 13 911 calls went out to the Huntsville/Lake of Bays Fire Department and OPP who responded to Earls Road in Huntsville.

Fire crews from Station 1 Huntsville, comprising 11 firefighters and 2 trucks, responded along with police.

Upon arrival, firefighters say they discovered the electric school bus engulfed in flames.

Fire crews used water from a nearby fire hydrant to extinguish the blaze.

They say the fire did not damage any of the nearby homes on Earls Road and no injuries have been reported.

Firefighters used a nearby hydrant to put out the bus fire, which was in a residential area. No nearby homes were affected. Photo HLBFD

The school bus had broken down prior to the fire starting. And the driver had called for a replacement bus, which picked up the passengers shortly before the flames became visible.

The Office of the Fire Marshal has been contacted.

A large amount of water was applied to extinguish the fire and the Town of Huntsville asked drivers to avoid Earls Road between Muskoka Road 3 N and Campus Trail due to ice on the road.

Ontario Hydro One crews attended to ensure sure no loss of services to power in the area as power lines were near the fully engulfed vehicle.

Earls Road has been re-opened and there is no further police investigation at this time.

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