Bus Transporting Middle School Students Burns on Route 1

First responders from the West Grove Fire Company were dispatched to a vehicle fire on the Route 1 Bypass at 5:17pm that was anything but routine. An interstate bus traveling back to the Baltimore area full of middle school students was on fire.

A passenger on the bus called 911 and reported that a tire had blown and there was smoke from the back of the bus, stating 53 people were on board. Additional callers to police stated that passengers were in the process of getting off the bus and it was on fire. Emergency units were already in the field from a previous call in London Grove Township and immediately responded, with Engines 22-2 and 22-1 enroute in just over a minute from dispatch. WGFC Ambulance 22-2 was on location quickly and reporting fire visible, with reports everyone was able to exit the bus.

With the bus well involved additional units and tankers were requested to the scene. Crews worked to extinguish flames inside and outside the bus which was heavily damaged. Units were on scene for about 90 minutes with fire police assisting the state police until about 7:45pm. No injuries were reported.

Crews had been out in London Grove Township on a WGFC call for a possible building fire at the Twin Pines Care Center on East London Grove Road. Initial calls for an odor of smoke led to the building upgrade when staff reported smelling smoke and evacuating patients. Assisting West Grove were Oxford 21, Longwood 25, Cochranville 27, Hockessin 19, Rising Sun 8, Avondale 23, Kennett Square 24, Po-Mar-Lin 36, with units dispatched at 4:12pm and units clearing about an hour later.