Pupils in lucky escape after coach carrying them back from Alton Towers trip suddenly burst into flames
Choking black smoke filled sky at M1 service station as 27 horrified pupils looked on
A GROUP of school children had a lucky escape after a bus burst into flames seconds after they were evacuated from it.
Pupils from Middlesbrough’s Trinity Catholic College had been making their way home from a theme park visit when the fire broke out.
They watched in horror as the blaze engulfed the coach only 30 seconds after the driver noticed smoke coming out of the engine and evacuated them.
The luxury coach was Hartlepool United Football Club's official team bus until just three days ago.
A full investigation is now underway into the cause of the mystery blaze.
The vehicle was returning up the M1 from a trip to Alton Towers, on Wednesday evening at about 5.40pm, when the driver spotted smoke pouring out of the engine.
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He pulled over at Woodall Services just south of Sheffield, South Yorks. and evacuated all 27 pupils and staff.
Eyewitness Kieron Johnson, 18, from Hartlepool, described how the black smoke from the blaze was so thick it made it difficult to see.
He said that everyone within the services was evacuated over the bridge to the southbound side of the M1.
Kieron, the inclusion manager at High Tunstall College of Science in Hartlepool, was accompanying pupils from his school on the return trip from Alton Towers.
He said: "Our bus overtook theirs on the motorway and we could see it smoking then.
"Fair play to the driver to get into the services in the nick of time. The bus pulled up and the smoke was so thick you could hardly see it.
"The students, who I’d say were between about 14 and 16, were upset because they’d left all their personal possessions on the bus, but some of our students
spoke to them and tried to comfort them a bit.
"The coach drivers were brilliant, as were the staff at the services."
Martin Bainbridge, transport manager at Stockton-based bus company Compass Royston, said a full investigation is now underway.
He said: "In my 30 years in the transport world I have never experienced anything like this.
"The driver said the coach was losing power as he went up a slight incline, and when he looked in his rear view mirror he saw the smoke.
"He was very close to Woodall Services so he pulled in there immediately but if he hadn't been close to them he would have pulled up on the hard shoulder.”
South Yorkshire Fire Brigade and Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service extinguished the blaze.
Compass Royston sent a replacement bus to pick up the passengers, which arrived
within 45 minutes.
Trinity Catholic College head teacher Peter Coady said: "All children and staff were totally unharmed and safely returned to school on a replacement coach.
"We would like to thank the staff for their outstanding care of the students, the children themselves for their excellent behaviour in the difficult circumstances, and our parents for their patience.
"We would also like to thank the coach company for their professional and prompt action, as well as many others including the service station staff and emergency services for their support and help."
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