School children from Co Kerry had a lucky escape this morning when the bus on which they were travelling caught fire.
About 40 second-level school children from Pobalscoil Inbhear Sceine, a second level school situated in Kenmare, and a number of teachers were travelling to the ploughing championships, at Ratheniska, in Co Laois.
It is understood that as the bus approached Ballyvourney in Co Cork one child smelt smoke coming from the engine compartment at the back of the bus and alerted a teacher. The teacher in turn alerted the driver and the bus was stopped and evacuated.
All children were taken a safe distance away and the emergency services notified.
Although the fire services arrived promptly the bus was destroyed in the ensuing fire, with the rear portion where children had been sitting near the engine compartment particularly damaged.
The bus had travelled about 40 kilometres from Kenmare and was one hour into the early early morning journey to the ploughing championships. The road was closed for about one hour after the blaze.
The children were subsequently taken by another coach back to Kenmare where parents were contacted.
In a statement the school principal Dermot Healy said the “most important fact is that all the students, teachers and bus driver were safely evacuated from the bus.”
The statement praised all concerned for evacuating the bus “without delay and in a structured and safe manner [WHICH]ensured that no one was injured”.
The school said a number of personal possessions were lost in the blaze but reiterated “the most important fact in this incident is that all are safe and well”. School children from Co Kerry had a lucky escape this morning when the bus on which they were travelling caught fire.
About 40 second-level school children from Pobalscoil Inbhear Sceine, a second level school situated in Kenmare, and a number of teachers were travelling to the ploughing championships, at Ratheniska, in Co Laois.
It is understood as the bus approached Ballyvourney in Co Cork. one child smelt smoke coming from the engine compartment at the back of the bus and alerted a teacher.
The teacher then alerted the driver and the bus was stopped and evacuated.
All children were taken a safe distance away and the emergency services notified.
Although the fire services arrived promptly the bus was destroyed in the ensuing fire, with the rear portion where children had been sitting near the engine compartment particularly damaged.
The bus had travelled about 40km from Kenmare and was one hour into the early early morning journey to the ploughing championships.
The road was closed for about one hour after the blaze.
The children were subsequently taken by another coach back to Kenmare where parents were contacted.
In a statement the school principal Dermot Healy said the “most important fact is that all the students, teachers and bus driver were safely evacuated from the bus.”
The statement praised all concerned for evacuating the bus “without delay and in a structured and safe manner (which)ensured that no one was injured”.
The school said a number of personal possessions were lost in the blaze but reiterated “the most important fact in this incident is that all are safe and well”.
