A bus fire erupted on a roadway in Sissonville, West Virginia, on Thursday evening, putting numerous young people and several adults in danger.
Video footage recorded the scene just after the Medina High School girls lacrosse team’s bus caught fire on I-77 North, WKYC reported on Friday.
Sissonville Fire Department Public Information Officer Zach Bess said crews were alerted to the fire that occurred near the Haines Branch Road exit after the bus driver reported hearing sounds coming from the vehicle’s engine.
The clip shows first responders arriving at the scene where flames were eating away at the bus, sending large plumes of black smoke into the air:
The people on the bus included 18 team members, their coaches, and the driver, who escaped the vehicle safely thanks to help from bystanders who stopped when they saw the fire. Authorities did not report any injuries as a result of the incident.
“Bess noted that they were then taken to the main fire station to get cleaned up, have some food, and make contact with their families until another bus arrived for them to continue their drive home,” the WKYC report said.
The majority of the team’s equipment was saved when the fire erupted, per the Akron Beacon Journal.
Additional video shows smoke coming out of the bus after firefighters quelled the blaze and a blackened front end.
According to Bess, the bus leaked about 50 gallons of diesel during the incident.
In a statement following the fire, Medina City Schools expressed gratitude to those who helped get everyone away from the danger.
“Thanks to the quick actions of the coaches and staff, all students were able to exit the bus safely. No injuries were reported. The parents of all team members were promptly contacted and informed of the situation and were updated as more information became available. The tour bus company dispatched a replacement bus, safely transporting the team back to Medina,” the statement read.
