School pupils flee blazing bus seconds before it explodes in flames

Jun 22 2008 By Euan Hamilton

CHILDREN returning from a school trip escaped a smouldering bus just minutes before it was engulfed in a fireball.

Terrified pupils warned teachers that smoke was pouring from the back of the double decker - then scrambled onto the hard shoulder of the M74 near Moffat in pitch darkness.

Many were in tears as they then watched the bus explode into flames. Firefighters said it suffered "100 per cent damage".

Sixty-one second and third year pupils from Kilmarnock's Grange Academy were returning from a day trip to Alton Towers.

The bus left the theme park at 5.35pm on Friday. It broke down and children claim they were allowed to decide whether to continue or wait on a replacement bus.

They went on, but the bus burst into an orange fireball at 11pm.

Hannah Wales, 14, said: "The girls at the back of the bus told the teacher there was smoke coming out of the back.

"You could not see anything out of the back window because of the smoke. The teacher went downstairs to tell the driver.

"He pulled over andwe were told to grab what we could and get off. We could see flames coming out.

"It was terrifying because we thought the coach could explode at any second. Teachers shouted at us to stand back because some of the boys were going closer to take photos on their phones."

Around 10 minutes later an empty reserve bus arrived to pick up the terrified pupils. They made it home around 1.30am yesterday.

Hannah said: "There were lots of people crying on the way."

The coach, from Ayrways of Ayr, first broke down at 8.15pm. The children were given the choice of waiting at Southwaite in Cumbria while the new bus was sent or carrying on.

Hannah's mum Eileen, 39, said: "I'm angry they left it up to the children. They obviously knew there was a problem.

"This could have been a tragedy but the teachers were great and the driver too."

Four fire engines tackled the blaze, thought to have been caused by a faulty fan belt.

Police sergeant Lena Robison said: "This was a serious fire and there could have been tragic consequences."

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