By Alyssa Schnugg
News Editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com
Photos provided by Sara Helm
The Lafayette County school bus that caught on fire Thursday was one of the district’s more “solid” buses.
Superintendent Adam Pugh said the fire appeared to be electrical in nature.
“We don’t know exactly where or why it started,” he said. “Our (shop) guys do a great job maintaining our buses. It was just one of those unforeseen things. It just happened.”
The bus started smoking at about 7:40 a.m. while on the Lafayette County School campus. The driver pulled over in front of one of the schools and the students were evacuated off the bus. Within minutes, the engine was fully engulfed in flames.
“We were able to get the kids off quickly and safely,” Pugh said. “This is the reason we do our bus evacuation drills.”
No one was injured; however, the bus is a total loss.
Pugh said that while the bus was not one of the district’s newest bus, it was not the oldest bus in the fleet either. While the district does need new buses, Pugh said the one that caught on fire Thursday was in good condition.
“It was a good, solid bus for one of our middle-aged buses,” he said. “Even if we bought 10 new buses, that one would not have been one that was retired.”
