School bus catches fire in Meath

More than 30 teenagers have escaped injury following a fire on board their school bus near Athboy in Co Meath this morning.

The Bus Éireann vehicle was bringing students from Delvin to Athboy Community College this morning when the driver smelled smoke coming from the engine.

She pulled over to the roadside around three miles from Athboy and ordered all the passengers to disembark.

A few minutes later, the bus burst into flames, but all those on board had already been evacuated.

An investigation is now underway into the cause of the fire, which came just a week before the anniversary of last year’s fatal bus crash in Kentstown, Co Meath.

Communications Minister and local TD Noel Dempsey has expressed concern about the incident, saying Bus Eireann should carry out a full check of its school buses to ensure they are all up to standard.