Bus gutted by fire in Co Clare

A bus has been gutted by fire in Co Clare just minutes after dropping off the last of its passengers.

The driver of the vehicle, which was travelling from Limerick City to Ardnacrusha in Clare, managed to escape uninjured

The 3.45pm Bus Éireann service from Mallow St in Limerick to Ardnacrusha in Co Clare was preparing to return to the city when the driver notice a fire at the back of his vehicle.

He managed to escape uninjured after quickly pulling over and contacted the emergency services.

Bus Éireann has confirmed that there were between 30 and 35 passengers, including a number of school children, on the bus earlier but that they had got off before the incident.

The single-decker bus was extensively damaged in the fire which is believed to have started in the engine.

The company says it is too early to confirm the cause of the blaze but confirmed that an investigation is now underway.

The bus remains at the scene this evening but is expected to be removed in the coming hours. The road from Barry's Cross to Ardnacrusha remains closed.