Teenager has lucky escape as school bus catches fire

A LIMERICK schoolgirl escaped death yesterday when a school bus caught fire.

Charlene Fitzgerald, aged 17, had just got on the privately owned bus near her home at Old Cork Road, when the fire broke out at the rear of the bus.

She said: “I was the first on the bus and I got a shock when the smoke started coming from the back.”

She said she normally goes to the back of the bus, but yesterday sat near the front.

A garda investigation is under way but it’s believed the fire started in the engine.

Charlene and the driver, the only two on the bus, got out safely.

The bus was beginning a morning run, picking up students who attend Colaiste Chiarain in Croom.

The entire rear section of the bus was badly damaged and units from Limerick fire brigade put out the blaze.

A spokesman for Cholaiste Chiarian said a number of students who were delayed getting to school, were due to sit pre-exams yesterday which have been rescheduled for today.