School Trip Bus Evacuation Drama

Exhaust fumes entered a bus taking a school trip to Warwick Castle on 13 November 2014, following a small electrical fire.

But all ended well as 53 school children, eight members of staff and the driver were all safely evacuated with no injuries, checked for smoke inhalation and discharged at the scene.

The drama unfolded when a bus full of five and six-year-olds caught fire on the M42 as the double decker ferried Year 1 pupils from Yorkswood Primary in Kingshurst on a day trip to historic Warwick Castle.

The driver pulled over and the party of 60 had to stand behind the barrier of the motorway, near Solihull, while fire crews dealt with the incident.

A West Midlands Fire Service spokesman said: “A small fire broke out on the outside of the bus and we sent three fire engines from Solihull, Hay Mills and Billesley.

“The driver had put out the fire, which started in the wiring behind a rear panel.”

A spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said an ambulance, a paramedic in a rapid response vehicle, a paramedic area support officer, a senior ambulance officer, two doctors and the Trust’s Hazardous Area Response Team were sent to the scene.

“We were called to reports of a large number of patients who had suffered smoke inhalation after exhaust fumes from the coach they were travelling were believed to have started entering the passenger cabin,” he said.

“Crews then began assessing the patients and it was determined that no-one was seriously injured."

A second coach was sent to the scene to return the children back to school. it is not known if the trip will be rearranged.